Radical Dreamers
by Milaya Milen Zeal
Summary: C’mon, Magil. That bastard Lynx is gonna get what he deserves! Say yer prayers… Not that it’ll do ya any good' [Translated by Demiforce]
1. Kid: Le Trésor Interdit

****

I had absolutely _no_ idea as to where to put this! So, just to please a few Chrono Trigger/Cross fans, I put it here! In any case.

Before Chrono Cross came out, Squaresoft had already figured out what they wanted as the sequel for Chrono Trigger. That became the story "Radical Dreamers", but it only came out on a game console that didn't quite work out, and the game just wasn't too catchy. It was more like a computerized "Choose your own adventure" game, instead of an RPG game, like Chrono Trigger/Cross. So, it didn't work out.

Still, there were a few people (including myself) who didn't really care what kind of game it was. Personally, I played the game to see if it made me understand Chrono Cross a little better. And, big surprise, it did. There are a few characters from Chrono Cross in this, including Kid, Serge, and Guile, although in Radical Dreamers, he's know as Magil, and instead of white, he wears black. Of course, Lynx is also there, but he doesn't play a role as important as that in Chrono Cross. Riddel is also there, and I'm suspecting the old man in the dungeons was Radius, but I'm not sure.

I have no idea if the names were correct, but if anyone's played the translated version and knows what all the names are, please inform me and I'll change it as soon as I can. And if anyone wants to play the translated version, give me a holler and I'll send it to you. It's a rom for the SNES emulator, so, don't worry.

Anyway, I've been blabbing enough. Let's go!

******************************************

It was then that I opened the notebook my mother had given me… she said she found it while cleaning out the closet.

Crumbling and covered with dust, it turned out to be the diary of my long-lost grandfather.

"…Do you still remember…?

How we first met, and all of our adventures since…

It all seems like such a dream nowadays… You were a piece of a star that fell from the sky.

Whenever I want to return to those days long gone, I close my eyes and whisper your name into the evening sky…

Kid…

Kid…

…Kid…

…Hey, Kid!

"Are you ready, Kid?

I know you're anxious, but stay on your toes."

"Yeah, likewise, mate! Mess up and I'm leavin' ya behind!"

"C'mon, Magil.

That bastard Lynx is gonna get what he deserves!

Say yer prayers… Not that it'll do ya any good!"

****

Radical Dreamers

"Boy, did her information help. I thought the perimeter's counterspell would be quite a problem."

Kid's braid sways gently from side to side in the cool nighttime breeze.

So far, we've managed to slip through the magical shield network undetected and sneak into Lynx's domain. Still, the inner region can make for some pretty rough travel.

Kid, Magil, and I comprise this party of three…

It's been something like three years since Kid and I met. Back then I was a drifter, wandering wherever my music led me. During my stay in the remote town of Guldove, I ended up running into a girl who later joined me, leading to the beginning of all this.

That girl was Kid…

Kid is a thief, of course.

Not even seventeen years old, already she's widely renowned as a top professional. To make matters worse, she's cute, devilishly stylish, and has a sparkling personality. And boy, can she cook… if you ask her, that is.

Well, to be completely honest, she has her share of problems as well. She likes to think of herself as a kind of Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but that's just not the case.

At times her sharp tongue can get the best of her, viciously lashing out at anyone who stands in her way. She exaggerates every other word, and sometimes lies outright… and as for listening to other people, well, forget it.

When it comes to money, well, I've never met anyone greedier in my life. Her relentless pursuit of wealth is ironic, considering she's a nomad, like me…

I don't know, maybe I'm being too hard on her. She has her good points too. She can really shine sometimes, when she wants to…

Glancing back over my shoulder, I notice a silhouette silently emerge from the grove.

Magil…

The associate of Kid's is known to us only as 'Magil of the Shadows'.

I know next to nothing about him, except for the fact that he somehow knew Kid before I came into the picture.

A high-class magician of some sort, he looks to about thirty. He usually keeps to himself, though.

The top half of his face is covered with a mask at all times. I've never seen what he really looks like.

At times, it seems as though I'm hanging around someone from another world -- traveling with this pack is definitely an interesting experience.

Kid's quiet about her past too, but it's like I know her entire life story compared to how little I know about Magil.

From time to time I find myself wondering who he is, where he came from, and so on. I'd ask Kid, but I get the impression she knows as little about him as I do.

You might be wondering how did I end up where I am now? Well, there's a lot of reasons, I suppose…

I guess you could say that life doesn't always go how you plan.

Suddenly, Kid comes to an abrupt stop.

"Seems someone wants to say hello."

Out of a nearby thicket, two shimmering eyes catch my attention. Whatever it is, it's staring at me silently.

After a few moments, a few more pairs of eyes appear. They seem to be surveying the area.

A deep feline growl breaks the uncomfortable silence, and I realize we're being hunted by a pack of feral cats.

A few of the figures slowly approach from behind the trees. I look behind me, only to see that they've already encircled us.

A few more slowly creep in, now totaling about ten…

Chills run down my spine. In a daze I clumsily unsheathe my knife, grasping it tightly as I bite my lip.

Kid stands ready with an air of composure.

"Careful, mate. These buggers are prolly rabid."

The growling increases, now a constant rumble all around us.

Their yellow eyes shimmer like jack-o-lanterns while salvia drips from their snarling jaws.

The middle one's stomach gurgles as its eyes widen, fixed directly on me.

"Looks like we ain't gettin' outta this one without a fight!"

As I try to remember a spell, a cat suddenly leaps directly at my head, its huge jaws wide open!

"No!!"

I raise my arm to guard my face!

Pain sears into my arm!

Struggling and tangling with the creature, I manage to pry it off and keep it at a distance.

"Serge, behind ya!!"

I turn around to see that I'm now face to face with a pair of ravenous yellow eyes!

In desperation I raise my arms in a cross, guarding my face!!

The beast catapults onto me, throwing me down and pinning me to the ground!

I scream from the bottom of my lungs as I feel the sharp jaws clamp down on my skin!

The beast straddles my body. Its teeth are now sunken deeply into my arm, my blood staining its fur as it growls. The pain is unbearable!!

I do everything in my power to struggle and break free, but the jaws are like an iron trap, gnawing and ripping flesh deeper and deeper with every passing second!

Whoa! What was that?

All of a sudden the cat is hurled off me, thrown backwards by some incredible force. It cowers in a heap, away behind a tree, with a gaping hole in its belly. It roars helplessly.

I look up to see Kid standing behind me, her knife dripping with blood.

Squeezing the wound on my arm, I rise to my feet.

I take a deep breath and try to tighten my grip on my knife, now slippery with sweat.

Then, out of nowhere, Kid flashes across my field of vision, landing a direct hit onto a cat beside me!

The cat screeches in pain as Kid pins it to the ground, stomping and kicking it with all her rage! Without a moment's delay, she boots the animal up underneath its jaw. It moves no more.

All of a sudden, the crazed atmosphere gives way to a war cry behind me!

I whip around to see Magil's inferno spell setting a cat's head ablaze! It jumps up, screeching and howling in madness before running away wildly. In confusion, it runs directly into a tree and knocks itself out cold!

I look around, and see that only one of the pack hasn't been taken care of yet. As Kid and I start to close in on the beast, it bolts, fearing for its life.

"Well that was some workout, eh mate?" says Kid, coming towards me as she tends to her arm.

I take a deep breath as I look around, trying not to step on too many of the bodies.

I'll admit I was a little worried back there as times, but nothing too serious happened.

I try talking to Magil, despite knowing how he'll react.

"Are you alright?"

With an expressionless face he looks down at me blankly.

"You need not worry about me."

Wow, the affection is just overflowing from that guy.

However, I probably shouldn't start complaining now. We've still got a long way to go… We haven't even set foot inside Viper Manor yet.

Kid glances over at me, seeming eager as ever, ready to tackle what's next. "Ya gonna hang around all night or what, mate?"

"No way! Let's go!"

"Hey, c'mere."

Trying to ignore my aches and pains, I head over towards Kid.

"Good job back there, mate."

She comes closer. I can see the reflection of the moon in her eyes, as she gives me a warm, comforting smile.

"But c'mon, we can't just stand around all night! There's treasure to be found!"

I'm still lost in her eyes as she starts to set off…

Magil continues behind her without a hitch.

I hurry to catch up behind the two. In a place like this, getting separated would be a bad idea…

We continue to make our way through this natural labyrinth of wood and rock. Somewhere, quietly waiting within this huge forest, Viper Manor beckons us. Deep within lies the treasure we've come for…

Lord Lynx, as he's formally known, is an aristocrat who governs the El Nido outlands. From the way Kid talks, he's apparently an old adversary of hers.

Tonight, our goal is Lord Lynx's most prized possession, a scarlet jewel known as the Frozen Flame.

Besides being priceless, some say this beautiful stone harbors some sort of mystical power.

They say many people have sought after the Flame, but none have been victorious in stealing it. Viper Manor has claimed many lives…

…But we will succeed.

We pride ourselves on making the impossible possible. Besides, the way Kid talks about Lynx sometimes, it sounds like she's got an awfully personal vendetta against him.

We can't lose… We've come too far to lose.

And so, after having spent countless hours crossing this dreary, lonesome forest, the silhouette of a towering mansion finally comes into view through the trees.

"We made it!" Kid shouts. "Yer days are numbered, Lynx!"

We quickly make our move, quietly dashing out from behind a thicket. Once at the mansion wall, we creep stealthily along the perimeter, searching for an entry point.

After a short while, we come upon a terrace near a garden which looks relatively inviting.

It doesn't look like there are any guards on patrol. Still, the mansion gives off a strange sort of morbid feeling. It's as quiet as death. 

Magil gazes up at the towering fortress. "We can enter into the west wing from here. There's no need to look elsewhere."

"Okay, let's go!" Kid says, jumping over the terrace handrail.

"Halt!" shouts Magil from behind, staring at Kid. "Our goal is the Frozen Flame, not vengeance on Lord Lynx. Remember this, Kid."

"Aye, no prob," she says, glancing over her shoulder.

"Ain't gonna be nothin' to it… like takin' candy from a baby. We'll be outta here before that slimy rat knows what hit him! Yeah, ya low-down, good-for-nothin' bastard, I'll make you pay!!"

There she goes again…

"C'mon, I'm gettin' tired of waitin' around!" she yells, before bolting into the mansion.

Magil shakes his head in silence as I chase after Kid, already deep inside.

The darkness engulfs me…

Passages extend to the left and right. Wherever we turn, darkness awaits…

"Let's try the right passage," I offer.

"Aye, let's," Kid agrees.

Magil is silent. Like that's new.

As though we're inside a gigantic snake, the passageway twists and turns, stretching deeper and deeper into the mansion.

We now stand in almost complete and utter darkness. Just a trace of moonlight manages to illuminate the path. I stop for a moment, and realize it's now completely silent. I feel as though we're being watched by every single being in this dreadful house.

Taking a deep breath, I move on…

And I set my foot down slyly. With the stealth of a cat yet so valiantly composed, Kid follows behind in stride. Drifting in and out of the shadows, the macabre figure of Magil looks out from behind.

The Weaver of Fate has surely by now taken notice of us, cradling us carefully in her arms…

Just ahead of me, I bump into Kid, who's come to a complete stop.

"Somethin's wrong, mate."

I stop my breath, trying to listen for anything.

Then, out of the darkness… "Clunk… clunk… clunk…"

Something's ahead of us on the path. Whatever it is, it's coming for us.

I nervously unsheathe my knife, trying to ignore my anxiety for this inevitable confrontation, now only moments away.

"It's a skeleton!!"

Gulp.

I try to look for a weak spot, but that isn't very easy when something's just a bag of bones.

The skeleton takes a step forward with its sword in hand!

Just as Magil begins to move in on it, it raises its arms overhead. Staring at him with a strange look in its eyes, Magil suddenly stops dead in his tracks!

"Magil! Snap out of it!" I shout, but his eyes are totally glazed over, completely unaware of his situation! Great, looks like it's up to me then.

I start to bolt towards the gruesome creature.

Avoiding a deadly slash by its rusty sword, I aim a kick for the skeleton's mid-section!

And with that, the skeleton breaks in two, toppling down to the ground as I carefully back away!

As the skull hits the ground, it shatters into countless pieces!

"What was up with you back there?" Kid shouts at Magil, her eyes firmly planted on him. "Snap out of it already!"

Magil blinks a few times, dazed. He seems to be all right now.

Kid smiles, then turns to me.

"You got a thing or two to learn, but yer gettin' there, mate."

Kid's mischievous eyes sparkle as I glance at her for a moment in the dim moonlight.

I set off down the corridor with her, ready for what's next. 

We make our way down the dimly lit passageway. After a few moments, we come to an old, dusty door on the right. Kid quietly presses her ear against the door. "Quiet as a church mouse. No one's there, mate."

"Well, let's see what's inside then," I say.

I grasp the handle, and open the door. It gives in with a loud creak.

"What's with all this junk? Must be a storeroom or somethin'…"

It seems like this is the inner mechanics of a clock tower. However, the gears look old and rusted, and cogs are spinning randomly without connecting up with their proper teeth. I doubt the clock's still in use today; the room seems to be currently used as a storage area.

A large object catches my attention, off in a far corner of the room. It's too dark over there to see what it is though.

"Do not touch anything out of the ordinary," Magil says abruptly, sending a sudden shock down my spine.

However, just as he says this, I see Kid emerge from the shadows, dragging the large object out into the middle of the room.

It's a large antique sword of some kind.

"We've got no use for that old thing, Kid. All it'll do is slow us down. Besides, we probably wouldn't even get much money for it."

Go, Magil. He knows just how to make Kid let something go.

"Hmph. I reckon it's worth a lot to the right buyer, like an antique collector or somebody."

Sulking, Kid quietly lays the sword down.

"What do you want?"

I look around, startled. That was definitely not any of our voices.

Kid and Magil immediately take position, focusing their attention towards the source of the voice.

"Who's there!?"

That's what I want to know, too, but does she really have to yell? I'm standing right next to her.

A figure suddenly appears out of the darkness, it seems to be a short old woman with a large hood over her head. Although fully covered, it's obvious she's quite old.

"Aw, it's just some old hag," Kid says. Magil's sharp gaze on the woman remains unchanged, however.

"Heh, heh… what an energetic young lady. You haven't come here this late in the evening to drop in on some friends, I'd imagine…"

I glance at Kid.

"Perhaps you have some score to settle with Master Lynx…?"

My heart jumps…

This is definitely not good. Will she warn the rest of them about us?

Kid's eyes narrow. "If we did have a score to settle with that bastard, what's it to you?"

"Heh… just as I expected."

The old woman cackles in amusement.

"Children… they're always so interesting like that. So imaginative, yet so predictable."

…??? 

Okay, now she's lost me.

"What're you talkin' about, old lady?"

And Kid, too, by the sound of it.

"Oh, it's already been four or five years, I would gather. According to what I was told, one night a young thief came to the manor, looking for trouble… The thief was a little girl, about ten years old."

Surprised, I glance at Kid. There's a trace of an ice-like radiance in her eyes. Staring at her makes me feel like it's suddenly dropped below freezing in here.

Unfazed, the old woman continues her story…

"The girl was an orphan. She set off to face Master Lynx alone, hoping to avenge the girl who had cared for her like a big sister.

But, after all, she was alone. Outnumbered and overpowered, she was eventually defeated and captured by Master Lynx's henchmen…

As an ally, Master Lynx can be quite an asset. However, as an enemy, he can be one of the most fearsome men alive. If not for a friend who sneaked in and secretly rescued her, she surely would have perished.

From what I've heard, this mysterious figure who could allegedly slip in and out of the shadows was the subject of many whispers throughout the manor, long after this incident had come to pass."

Not moving a muscle, I try to look for Magil. He's nowhere to be seen. I can only guess he's sporting one of those trademark expressionless faces, somewhere in the darkness.

"The inhabitants of Viper Manor don't condemn the unfortunate, because no one can win all the time. However, from time to time, the Goddess of Fate has been known to cast down those who have too much good luck, throwing the cogs of time out of order. It's not wise to try and stand against fate, continuing to repeat one's mistakes time and time again."

The old woman continues, staring straight at Kid, smiling sweetly. "If you want to steal the jewel, and if you really want to beat him, you too must give up your most valued possession, Kid. As long as you cling to it, the hands of your clock will never budge. They'll stay frozen, trapped in the distant past…"

………………

"…Who the bloody hell is this old hag…!?"

My thoughts exactly.

"Me? Oh, just an old lady… pay me no mind. Thank you for listening to this old maid for such a long time. I certainly hope I haven't delayed you at all. But before you leave, which one of you…"

With that, the old woman look in my direction.

"Ah, yes. You look like you've got a bit of a scrape there. Won't you let me have a look at it?"

What should I do? I don't know whether to be petrified of comforted by all this…

My arm still hurts from where that cat had bitten me, and it sure would be nice if she could fix that. But then again…

Ah, what the heck!

"Yes, please do, ma'am," I say, and carefully walk over, showing her my wounded arm.

The old woman clasps her hands together. Bowing her head, she mumbles a few words in a low tone.

Suddenly, a gentle pale blue light surrounds my body, filling me with a strange warmth!

"Wow… look at that!"

My wounds are being healed before my eyes! It feels as though there's some sort of soft music being played around me, putting me into a strange serenity.

When I come around, the woman is gone.

"Hello? Lady?" says Kid, relentlessly looking around.

However, there's no trace of her. All signs of her presence are gone.

"Wonder what was up with that old hag…"

Looking around, I can't help but wonder what she was talking about, with all that talk about a prized possession and everything.

"Let's get our arses outta here! This place is givin' me the creeps!" says Kid all of a sudden, already heading for the door.

"Hey, wait up."

As I catch up with Kid, she give me a friendly poke in the ribs. "Hmph, ain't no fair you were the only one who got healed."

From here, the passageway stretches to the right and left. The right path continues on into the mansion, while heading left will take us to the terrace. 

We decide to check out this part of the mansion first, before heading back to the terrace.

Proceeding ahead on the path, we come to a staircase going up, and… a firm-looking set of doors on the left.

"There better be treasure here. The smell of gold's thick in the air, mate."

What'd I tell you?

"Hmph, just like I though… locked," Kid says after jiggling the handle. Frustrated, she kicks the door.

"This might slow up down, but sure as bloody 'ell won't keep us out!"

"Well, unless we find the key, there's nothing we can do, Kid," I remind her.

"Let's get to it then. I bet Lynx's got it stashed up in his room somewhere, the bastard…"

Unable to do anything, we leave to look elsewhere.

With Kid in the lead, we ascend the narrow staircase…

The cracked stone stairs seem to endlessly twist upwards. It feels like we're heading up to a scaffold to be executed…

Atop the staircase, an old but solid door waits for us silently. This damp place fills me with a feeling of dread.

"There's a faint voice comin' from the other side of the door," says Kid. I fear the worst.

"Maybe we should check somewhere else…" I say.

"What'sa matter, ya chicken?" she says while glancing at me, but I can tell by the sound of her voice that she isn't feeling much better about this than I am. There's something wrong about this place, and we all know it…

Nonetheless, we enter the room.

It's a small room, one you'd find in a stone tower. It's empty, and I can't find a single window in it.

"What the hell kinda room is this?"

Although she's trying to hide it, I notice a shiver running down Kid's spine.

"There may be something of use here. Let us search more closely," Magil says quietly.

"Ya really think we'll find somethin'? Hrmf…"

Kid proceeds to the middle of the room, while I examine the walls and floor.

The stone floor is filled with countless scratches, covered by splotches of a dry dark ink.

"Hey Magil, would you come over here please? Something is carved into the wall here. I think it's an inscription of some sort…"

Magil kneels down in front of the wall and examines the writing. Looking closer at it, it appears to be written in blood.

"Indeed. This text has been worn down with age. Most of it is unreadable.

Here's what I can make out:

…won't la… mu… onger…

…cia Dragoons… nee…he encha…

swor… order to… …proof…

Without any warning, the door slams shut! We stand up, taken by surprise!

Then suddenly, a low rumbling starts to fill the room!

"What's happening?" Kid shouts, looking around frantically.

I run to the door, trying to open it, but it's locked tight.

"What's that above us!?"

I don't even want to look up, but I do anyway.

The ceiling is covered with large spears that seem freshly sharpened. And to make matters worse, it's coming straight at us!

"What now? There's no time to lose!"

I look around, trying to think of something. "We have to ram the door!" I finally say.

Kid flies like an arrow, ramming against the door!

Her small body bounces back -- the door is far too heavy!

"Bollocks!"

Magil streaks across the room like a hurricane, dashing against the solid oak!

The door creaks, but holds tight!

My turn.

I ram into the door with all my strength.

"Aaarrgh!"

A heavy shock shoots through my body, but the door doesn't budge an inch!

The rumbling continues to get louder and louder, reminding us of the rusty blades, eager to greet us!

"Serge! Magil! Come on, together!"

Good plan.

The three of us start to ram against the door simultaneously with all our strength!

The door hinge gives! We stumble outside, barely escaping certain death!

Behind us, we hear the gut-wrenching sounds of the blades meeting the stone floor. I watch the morbid scene in a daze, gasping huge breaths of air.

Finally, the grinding sound fades away. It seems the ceiling has stopped.

"Damn that Lynx, toyin' with us like that…"

"So, this is the torture chamber. I wonder how many of the Acacia Dragoons it has claimed," Magil whispers.

"Who?" I ask.

"The Acacia Dragoons. They were once an elite force serving General Viper, a powerful man who used to rule the western territory of Zenan. They were defeated more than ten years ago, by the very hands of Lord Lynx. By the looks of things, we have apparently found their resting place."

"Eh, who cares," says Kid as she stands up. "Generals and Knights and everything, it sounds like some old bedtime story."

Magil shrugs his shoulders in silence as we start down the stairs, eager to get away from this awful place.

We start our way back to the terrace, walking down the hallway, past the treasure vault and the clocktower storeroom.

After a short while, the terrace comes into view on the left. The cool evening air trickles in through the doorway, giving me a subtle reassurance.

We then head down the path we didn't take last time.

After a while, the path splits into three directions. To the left is a descending staircase, while the path on the right extends into darkness. Another passageway lies ahead…

"Now which way do we go?" Kid asks, scratching her head.

"The stairs would be my first try," Magil says calmly.

Kid shrugs and starts heading for the stairs.

"But watch your step. You never know around here."

As I start to slowly descend the stairs in the dim light, I stretch my hands out in front of me to try and feel for something. However, all I'm greeted with is the moist feeling of these grimy stone walls.

We've descended the staircase. To the left lies a huge stone archway, and to the right we can see a narrow path twisting into the darkness.

We stand still for a moment, contemplating which way to go, until Kid sniffs the air.

"Eh? Flowers?"

I blink, but Kid's already started down the passage on the right.

Suddenly, Kid stops dead in her tracks. I look at her, wondering what's wrong.

Magil already assumed his battle stance. I do so too, trying to see what's ahead of us.

Suddenly, I realize what they were triggered by -- a barely audible voice of some kind can be heard, far up ahead.

Advancing a bit more, we come to the source. There, barely illuminated in the dim light, is some sort of a blue monster. It seems like it's been waiting for us, kneeling on the pavement as it chants to itself in a low quiet tone.

Its long bony fingers seem to be etching something on the floor before it.

"It's a Demon Warlock!"

Is that supposed to help, Magil?

I unsheathe my knife, getting ready to face off with the vile monster.

I switch my knife around for a backhand attack as the demon grins a disgusting smile at me.

The second I see it break its focus, I lash out with my weapon!

However, my dead-on attack only seems to graze the demon's skin.

"What're ya smilin' at, freak!?" Kid yells, as it gives us a twisted, fang-laden smile.

I clean the sweat off my brow, and try to keep focused.

However, I can't help but notice the demon's eyes, amidst all this. They've got such an unsetting quality to them, almost as though this thing harbors some sort of unimaginable intelligence…

Wait, what am I saying!? I can't get lost in that thing's mind now. Everybody knows these things can trap your spirit with their eyes alone!

All of a sudden, the demon starts to mutter something. A second later, it bursts into flames!

Within a few moments, the flames die out, and the demon is no more, gone without a trace!

"…What the…?" Magil utters in confusion, blinking.

A vague uneasiness sets in as I look around. Not a single scrap of evidence remains from that entire encounter…

Was any of that even real?

After some time, we continue on our way.

The passageway makes a sharp turn to the right, before stretching on through the subterranean maze…

Before long, we're greeted with a beautifully ornate set of doors on the right. Kid sniffs the air again. "This's where that smell's comin' from!"

I sniff the air, too, and have to admit that she's right. There's a distinct smell of flowers coming from here.

Carefully, we open the doors and head inside.

We come to a comfortably decorated room. Small trinkets have been placed on the desk and shelves, adding some charm. The owner of this room has obviously gone to great lengths to try and bring a somewhat graceful lifestyle into this otherwise dark mansion. Still, the room carries an unsettling stillness with it.

"Bet it Lynx's daughter's room," Kid says, surveying some of the items.

The letter on the desk and the warm teacup hint of a woman living here. However, after searching the room, no one is found.

All we find are various odds and ends: a beautifully arranged set of flowers, a white handkerchief carelessly tossed aside, a small bottle of perfume, and so on. Although this stuff adds atmosphere to the room, none of it is really worth anything to us.

Kid also seems to feel this way, disregarding most of the stuff here. She picks up a small box, decorated with a serpentine coat of arms. However, like the rest of the items here, it looks like it's of little worth to us.

Still, I'm curious as to what's inside of the box, so I ask Kid to open it.

As Kid slowly opens the box, a comforting melody fills the air.

"That song…" Kid suddenly says, standing up beside me. I look over to her, seeing her expression has changed to vulnerable curiosity, chasing a long-lost memory.

"You know this song, Kid?"

"Yeah… a long time ago, someone I knew used to sing it to me…"

She turns away from me, rubbing her eyes.

………

"Kid?" I say softly, putting my hand on her shoulder. After a moment or two, she looks back at me. Tears are running down her cheeks.

Without saying a word, Kid walks quickly to the door.

"Hey, wait up, Kid!" I say, chasing after her.

We head down further down the passageway, wanting to see what else was here.

After a little while, the dark passageway ends at a polished, robust set of doors.

Kid crinkles her nose in disgust. "Somethin's strange about this place… it don't feel right, mate. Prolly just my imagination, heh…"

Standing here in the cold darkness, Kid's hollow laugh does nothing by add to my fear.

Kid easily opens the doors and steps in.

These are apparently Lynx's quarters. No one seems to be here however.

"We're right on top of ya now, Lynx! Say yer prayers, ya bastard!"

Looking around, it's a very dilapidated room. Furniture is thrown about in all directions, and almost nothing matches. Taking a look at the room as a whole, there's no sense of harmony whatsoever. It's very suggestive of a chaotic mind.

"Arrite, the key to that vault's gotta be in here somewhere," Kid says as she starts her search. "Frozen Flame, here we come!"

I sift through a number of odd items adorning the room. There's a cluttered desk, a painting that's hanging unevenly on the far wall, and a pitcher on a side table, among other things.

In one corner of the room, near a Venus statue, stands a tall, curious object of some sort. A scarlet cloth has been placed over it, covering it up.

As I slowly reach my hand out to uncover it, Magil suddenly says, "Please avoid reckless interference."

Taking his advice, I return my hand to my side.

However, the cloth suddenly starts to fall of on its own.

"I didn't touch it, I swear!"

"What, did it just leap off all by itself?" Kid asks, rolling her eyes.

A large mirror has been uncovered. Fancifully decorated, it looks to be a high-prized arabesque antique.

"I got a bad feelin' about this…"

Then, all of a sudden…

The reflection of the Venus statue opens its eyes, staring at us through the mirror!

"Is there something you seek?" the statue's reflection asks, in a soft womanly voice.

The voice seems to be coming from the statue in front of me, but only the mirror's reflection seems to be moving.

"It… it can talk!" I utter, shocked.

"It is a Mirror of Whispers," Magil says, examining it closely.

"But… what is it!?"

"It is a looking glass that harbors a living spirit. The spirit is free to roam throughout nearby mirrors, able to see into our daily lives. They are known to be quite wise. Is there anything you wish to ask?"

Wow…

"If you know where the key to the treasure vault is, could you please tell us?" I ask the mirror.

The mirror's surface begins to ripple. The whirling smoke soon takes shape into a picture of a large room, decorated with rows and rows of books.

In a beautiful womanly voice, the mirror responds, "The key you seek, as you see before you, rests within this room. Towards the rear of this great sanctuary of knowledge, within a large purple book, you will find the item you so desire."

The image slowly fades, and returns to a normal reflection.

"The spirit has apparently moved to another mirror," Magil says.

"Okay, let's head for the study!"

As I head for the door, I suddenly get the feeling I'm being watched. I come to a stop and look around.

Then suddenly, a faint whisper reaches my ears. "…Be careful, they know…"

Whose voice was that? It wasn't any of ours…

The mirror… it wouldn't double-cross us, would it?

Kid heads out the door, bolting down the corridor. I frantically chase after her, easily as eager as she is.

And so, we head back to the stairs. Magil said the study was on the upper floor. 

Ahead of me, I hear Kid come to a sudden stop.

"What's wrong!?" I ask in a whisper.

I look over, only to see Kid pointing down the dark hallway. Squinting my eyes, I try to look for something. After a while, I start to see some sort of white mass, a ways ahead of us.

"What is it?" I ask, readying my knife.

And then, as if reacting to my voice, it starts to quickly scurry toward us, growing taller and taller as it approaches!

It's another one of those skeletons!!

I immediately start rushing, hoping to catch it off guard!

"Arrrghh!"

With a hollow clatter, the skeleton come toppling down to the ground! Ribs fly everywhere as its spine breaks in two!

"I think you've had enough!" Kid shouts, looking over the crumbled heap of bones. 

Suddenly, as if somehow reacting to her taunts, the skeleton's remains begin to stir once again!

I back away in shock as the skeleton's torso starts to prop itself up with its left hand! Its right hand then grasps its dislodged skull and holds it up, staring straight at us!

"What the…"

Suddenly the skeleton hurls its skull at me with blinding speed!

I nimbly catch the skull in my hand!

Wait a sec. Last time…

I kneel down to the ground and raise the skull high above my head! Then, with all my might, I hurl it down to the ground with blinding speed!

As soon as I do this, the remains of the skeleton crumble lifelessly to the ground! Kid runs up to the pile scattering the bones everywhere.

Relieved, I crawl back a ways, staring at the shattered skull before me.

"Now you've had enough," Kid says,

Ha, ha, ha.

Once we've ascended the staircase, we head into the dark passageway in front of us. After a while, it ends at a stained wooden door.

We head inside.

"Guess this's the study."

The huge room is faintly lit by the moonlight, shining in through a tall window. In the back of the room, stands a large, ornately decorated desk.

Row after row of bookshelves house thousands of thick, dusty books. A painting is hung on the rear wall, sharing space with various exotic curios,

"Okay! Time to find that key!" Kid says as she steps into the center of the room, surrounded by row after row of books.

"Where did that crazy mirror say we could find it? Hey, Serge, Pay attention when I'm talkin' to ya!"

"Huh? I thought you remembered which one it was…"

"So which is it?"

I try to remember but it's quite hopeless, so I start guessing.

"Errrr… wasn't it the one in the front shelf with the blue cover?"

"The front shelf, eh. The blue one… the blue one… here it is! This one?"

Kid pulls the book from the shelf. I watch closely as she opens it up. Her eyes become narrow as a cat's as she starts to read the mysterious symbols. Then, she begins to read in a low, steady voice.

"In the week before their departure to Arrakis, when all the final scurrying about had reached a nearly unbearable frenzy, an old crone came to visit the mother of the boy, Paul.

It was a warm night at Castle Caladan, and the ancient pile of stone that had served the Atreides family as home for twenty-six generations bore that cooled-sweat feeling it acquired before a change in the weather…"

Kid's voice trembles as her speaking becomes softer and softer. Looking over, I see she's sunk into silence with dim eyes.

Suddenly she notices me looking at her. Turning away, she quickly closes the book.

"This ain't the right book, Serge. Which one is it?"

"Errrr… it's the book with the red cover in front, isn't it?"

I don't think it's the right one, but it's worth a try.

Kid heads to the shelf.

"The red one… the red one… got it!"

Kid pulls a book from the lower shelf. She opens it as we watch closely. Leafing through it, a passage catches her eye, which she begins to read in a low, steady voice.

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti. Fly back to school, little Starling."

………

"Yuck! What the hell is this!?" Kid yells, slapping me.

I feel sick.

Yuck.

"Sheesh, Serge! You shouldn't let a lady read such things. Now which book is it!?"

I scratch my head, then say, "Uh… purple book… front shelf?"

Kid heads back to the shelf in front.

"The purple one… the purple one… here we go! This one here?"

Kid pulls out a book from one of the shelves in the middle. I watch closely as she opens it up. Her eyes become narrow as a cat's as she reads page after page of strange, convoluted symbols.

"The Neo-Epoch was damaged and expelled into space without any phase changes.

Warning! Warning! Engine severely damaged! Output has been reduced to 30%! Only six Antiparticle shells remain!

Shield range 16 sectors! L-spin reaction at the starboard bow! The enemy fleet is moving toward us!

Gaspar, wake up! Spekkio, use your final power…"

………

"What is this? It reminds me of…"

"Of what, Kid?"

"…Nothin'! Quit yankin' my chain, Serge! Which book is it!?"

Sheesh… excuse me for making a mistake.

"Hmmm… that book over there, the green one… maybe that's it…" I say, pointing.

"The green one… hmm. This one right here? Okay…"

From the bottom of the shelves, Kid pulls out an old decaying book. She coughs a little as she opens it, trying to avoid all the dust being released.

After looking through it for a while, she begins to read a page in a low steady voice.

"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.

Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-two million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended lifeforms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea…"

………

"Serge, ya dummy! This ain't the right book!!"

At this rate, it'll take us years to find the right book!

"Hmm… it could be that blue book on that shelf over there…"

"Well -could- it be the right one, or -is- it the right one?"

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure. Yeah, the blue one. Yeah."

Kid heads over to the shelves, already fuming.

"The blue one… the blue one… got it."

Kid pulls it off the shelf. I watch intently as she opens the dusty cover. Her eyes become narrow as a cat's as she reads page after page of strange convoluted symbols.

"…It was only then that I realized that in this incredible game of life, the bonus is contained within love and adventure. Cordially enthralling myself into the temptations of the flesh despite a momentary rush of suspiciousness, finally I moved my fingers downward… ever more downward. Until, gulping down my many feelings of apprehension and vulnerability, into this pleasureful ocean, I…"

……

………

……………

Kid's face turns red.

"What is this rubbish? What in blazes are ya havin' me read now!?"

Abruptly, she rises to her feet,

Thwap!

Stars explode before my eyes!

"Enough of this! Where's the real book!?"

Barely able to stand, I frantically try to reassemble my thoughts…

But that's hard after having a book slammed against your head.

"Maybe it's that red book over here in the back. Yeah, that sounds like it."

"The back shelf… the red one… the red one… here we go!"

Kid pulls the book from the shelf. I watch closely as she opens it up. Her eyes narrow into slits as she begins to read the mysterious symbols. Then, she starts to read a passage in a low, steady voice.

"…Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. These are…"

……

………

"What the heck is this? Some sorta witchcraft? Quit having me read all these stupid books, Serge! Which one has the key!?"

If I knew, I'd tell you.

"I'm pretty sure it's that green book over there in back."

Kid heads over to the shelves.

"The green one… the green one… here, got it!"

Kid pulls the book from the back shelf. I watch carefully as she slowly opens it. Her eyes narrow as she reads page after page of strange convoluted symbols.

"I refuse to be a victim. When this becomes your mantra, constantly running through your head, you will shift towards me-centered living. Only by taking full responsibility for your problems, and their solutions, will you break free from the constant circle of victimhood. Remember, you are only a victim if you choose to be."

"Aaahhh!!!"

……

………

"What is this drivel? I can't stand any more of this!!"

Kid puts the book back.

"C'mon, Serge! Where did you say it was?"

"Let's try that big white book, down there in back."

"The back shelf… the white one… the white one… here we go!"

Kid pulls the book from the shelf. I watch closely as she opens it up. Her eyes become narrow as a cat's as she starts to read the mysterious symbols. Then, she begins to read in a low, steady voice.

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.

The desert was the apotheosis of all deserts, huge, standing to the sky for what might have been parsecs in all directions. White; blinding; waterless; without feature save for the faint, cloudy haze of the mountains which sketched themselves on the horizon and the devil-grass which brought sweet dreams, nightmares, death…"

Kid continues to read, getting lost within the book.

"Hey, Kid, shouldn't we be looking for the key?"

"Hold on, mate! It's startin' to get good!"

"But, Kid…"

"All right already! Sheesh! Which book did you say it was?"

"The purple one in the back," Magil suddenly calls out, making us turn around to face him.

We then look at each other, and Kid finally growls in anger.

"Ya could've said that a little earlier!"

"No one asked."

I just want to nail him in the kisser right now. Really I do.

Kid pulls out a purple book, towards the bottom of the shelves. I watch closely as she opens it up. Flipping through the pages, suddenly an old brass key falls out of the book, hitting the ground with a clank!

"All right! The key!!"

Throwing the book aside, Kid bends down and grabs the key. Her eyes light up as she stares at it in her hands. We race out of the study, eager to see what awaits us in the vault.

Magil follows behind a moment later, after returning the book to the shelf.

We hurry out to the vault, with Kid fantasizing about the immense loot we'll find no doubt.

Suddenly a bloodcurdling screech cuts through the darkness! Scared stiff at the deafening sound, I look up to see two gigantic maddening red eyeballs staring straight at me!

It's a gryphon!!

Before I can even unsheathe my knife, it starts to flaps its wings viciously, conjuring a tremendous gust of wind!

I'm knocked clear off my feet, banging my head up against a wall!

"Serge! You okay?"

My body aches from head to toe. I struggle to ignore the pain as I hastily get back up!

I bend down to grab my knife. As I stand back up with it in my hand, I suddenly realize the gryphon has already cornered me off! It stands no less than a few feet in front of me, its enraged red eyes glowing like ember!

The gryphon's wings flair up coming at me for a swatting attack!

The moment I go to duck down, I see its wings graze the air just inches above my head!

That was such a close call! I quickly get up and ready myself for what's next.

Trying to break free of that ferocious, visceral gaze, I remember the knife I'm holding and grip it tight!

Quickly switching my knife to a backhand grip, I swing at the gryphon's neck with all my rage!

The gryphon writhes in pain as blood starts trickling down its neck!

All right! A weak spot!

Twitching in pain, the gryphon tries to get back up. I step over with my knife in hand, ready to finish the job.

"Don't move, Serge!!" I hear Kid shout. Suddenly, she vaults over my shoulders from behind!

"Haaa!!"

All right! She's landed a powerful jump kick on the side of the gryphon's neck! Its head snaps backwards, letting loose a terrifying howl!

The gryphon starts to slowly move in on me, one step at a time. Then suddenly, it stops. With a blank look in its eyes, it stumbles a bit, and then comes crashing to the ground with a huge thud!

Well… that was easy.

We reach the treasure vault without any further incidents.

"It better open now," says Kid, putting the key we found into the lock.

As the door clicks, we're suddenly showered in all colors of light!

"Musta been an enchanted lock… Whatever's on the other side of this door's gotta be good!"

The heavy doors open, slowly…

Inside the room, I gasp at the awesome spectacle laid out before our eyes.

Despite the sparse light, a brimming mountain of silver, gold, and other precious-looking artifacts shimmer and twinkle throughout this huge treasure vault. Kid is almost drooling at the sight. But to be fair, a sight like this would captivate most people…

Enormous heaps of riches are piled before our eyes, in amounts most people will probably never see in their entire lives. It looks to be authentic…

"Remember, our goal is the Flame. Do not waste time with frivolities," says Magil flatly.

"Jeez, I told ya, I know…"

Regardless of Magil's warning, Kid can't help but be taken aback. She gawks at the room's contents in awe, until…

"Hey, what's that? In the back, on that pedestal…" I ask, pointing.

There, a palm-sized jewel radiates a pale crimson light, resting patiently behind the other treasure. It looks as though it's a roaring flame that's somehow been frozen in time…

The Frozen Flame!!

As Magil glides over towards the pedestal, I nervously call out…

"Be careful… we can't afford falling in a trap."

"Hmph, fine," Kid frustratedly says, glancing back at the door. "Just remember we're short on time!"

After investigating the pedestal for a little while… "Serge was correct. It does seem to be trapped."

Magil steps back, mumbling something in a low voice while placing his hand near the base of the pedestal.

Slowly, an inscription begins to emerge on its surface, shining brightly for a moment.

"It should be disarmed now," he says, before cautiously lifting the scarlet jewel from the pedestal.

Whew… we did it! With a sigh of relief, I turn towards Magil. He's looking intently at the Flame.

"Way to go, Magil! All right, let's…"

Suddenly the gem shatters into a thousand pieces in Magil's hand!

"It's a fake. Indeed, that fiend Lynx would never have left the real Flame in a place like this."

"Damn…"

Suddenly, an alarm bell rings out! The room lights up, and heavy metal bars fall in front of the door!

Our only exit is blocked!

I look around, only to see Kid holding a fancy crown, suddenly realizing what she's done.

"That, that dimwitted dingo!!" I say to myself.

Suddenly, out of the corners of the room, four mechanical birds suddenly come to life.

"INTRUDER ALERT!! INTRUDER ALERT!!"

Their loud metallic screeching only adds to my uneasiness!

"It doesn't look like it will open," says Magil, checking the iron bars in front of the door.

But, before Magil can even finish his sentence, we start to hear deep, snarling voices, somewhere outside the room…

"Which way is it coming from?" a heavy voice asks.

"Sounds like the treasure vault's alarm to me."

The voices continue to get louder and louder as we stand motionless inside the room. We silently gawk at each other, hoping any one of us will have some sort of plan.

Kid hides herself under a mountain of gold coins.

"Quick, hide, mate!"

I frantically look around the room.

There! Over in the far corner, there's an empty treasure chest behind a post. I dash over towards it, climb in, and close the lid.

"Looks like there's no one here, boss."

"That's strange. No one's ever been able to escape this old thing…"

Softly opening the lid of the chest, I take a peek outside through the small crack and see five goblins, bedecked in armor, having unlocked the iron bars and standing a few feet from me.

They look around the room restlessly, peeking into the shadows. Eventually, one of them raises his head to speak.

"Maybe a rat set it off. The cook was complaining about rats the other day."

"Rats? Are you trying to tell me a rat set off the trap?" a fat goblin questions the other with a doubtful face.

And with that… "Squeak… squeak, squeak," comes from the corner, over by where Kid's hiding…

Taken aback, the goblins stop moving, and look at each other. After a little while, the chief slowly strokes his chin and says, "No, actually, wasn't it stray cats that the cook was complaining about?"

"…Meow, meow," comes the voice a second time.

Again, the goblins glance at each other. "That's strange, what I heard was that it was a vicious Heckran that raided the pantry, I think."

Not a peep this time… I can only picture Kid racking her brain, trying to think of what a Heckran sounds like…

"Just as I thought -- a thief," says one of the guards. But just as they start to approach…

"He…hekeikekekekeke… heke, hekeike, ranranran!"

"Oh, well then, it certainly is a Heckran! Without a doubt!" one of them says, exchanging a smile with the others.

"Well, that's pretty frightening then. Come on, let's get out of here."

The pack begins to file out of the treasure vault.

But then, suddenly, the goblins all spring on the pile of gold!

"Well, what do we have here?"

"Hey! Get yer hands off me, ya slimy freaks!" Kid says, struggling to break free.

"Slimy? A thief like yourself isn't in much of a position to criticize!" one of them hollers at her.

Kicking herself free of their grasp, Kid inches back into the corner of the room. The goblins start to corner her off, laughing to themselves…

I quietly sneak out of my hiding place and unsheathe my knife. Taking on an entire troupe of armed goblins is a lost cause, even for Kid.

What should I do? Frankly, I'm in a quandary…

I really have to save myself but… hold up! I can't leave Kid like this!

Yeah, I can't abandon my friends, especially at a time like this.

Gripping my knife tightly, I charge into the center of the room, shouting, "Hey, you stupid oafs!"

They all turn around, staring at me blankly for a moment, before their expressions turn to rage.

"You just came out here to die. Didn't you, little man."

Gulp…

"You really want us to trample over your head that badly? Well, I suppose we can accommodate you," the goblin boss says, giving a deep laugh.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kid shouts back. "Don't think you can easily pick a fight with the likes of the great Kid and get away with it!!"

"Wait a minute, so you're the elusive Kid?" the boss asks, as its eyes softly narrow. "How sweet this is. Perhaps if I deliver your head to Lord Lynx, he'll give me a nice reward…"

The boss goblin takes its morning star from its side. The huge iron ball jangles down to the floor.

"Please don't confuse us with just any ordinary goblins. Striking fear into the hearts of men everywhere, we are Lynx's Elite Security Force, the fearsome Magical Gobbler Team!"

"If ya got time to spout off all that nonsense, then ya sure got enough time to get yer arses kicked!" Kid shouts, exploding with a fierce roundhouse kick!

The goblin teeters and staggers, dizzied by the brunt of her attack!

"Let's get 'em, boys! Start with that little twerp over there!"

Metal balls begin to swing around, swooshing through the air with deadly speed!

"Jet Gobbler Attack! Now!"

Sliding across the floor like the wind, the goblins simultaneously rush us!

Looking up, all I see is a goblin coming at me head on, ready to bash its weapon into my skull!!

I try to dodge, but…

The metal ball rams into my shoulder, throwing me off balance!

Writhing in pain, I'm barely able to lift my head in preparation for the next attack.

"Gahahahah, good boy! Come on, let's have some more fun!"

Beside me, an arrow of light jumps out from Magil's fingertips, instantly pulverizing the goblin!

The goblin topples to the ground, half vaporized. Magil stares at it with his ever present eyes of steel as his dark cape flaps in the breeze.

Another huge iron ball whizzes through the air, swinging down towards me!

I've got to think of a better strategy than just standing around! I quickly put my weight onto the goblin, trying to force it off balance!

Gritting my teeth, I butt my head against the goblin's face!

Ow!

My head feels like it's been hit by a sledgehammer. However, as I open my eyes I see that the goblin's in a lot worse shape than I am. It falls backwards in a daze, its mouth a bloody mess.

Gross…

My head feels like it's on fire. I take a second to regain my wits.

Uh oh. Another goblin rushes toward me, swinging its weapon at my head!

Frantically parrying the goblin's attack, I try to lung with my knife…

Quick as a mouse, I slice into the goblin's side! It lets loose a gnarling scream of pain as its putrid face contorts in agony!

Kid comes to my aid, delivering a lightning-quick strike to one of the goblins!

"What's the matter, huh!? Where's yer Magical Gobbler skills now, or whatever ya call it?"

The goblin can't help but collapse onto the floor in pain. Kid boots it in the jaw, before backing away for the next attack.

"Quit screwin' around, Serge! Keep an eye on yer own trouble!"

I could've handled him on my own, I never asked for your help. That's what I wanted to say, but I don't want to argue with her.

I've got enough on my hands as it is.

"Long live Lord Lynx! Glory to the Magical Gobblers!" says the last of the goblins as it comes crashing to the ground in a bloody mess!

Phew… that's the last of them.

"Easy… easy," says Kid, wiping some sweat off her brow.

"Dammit Serge, yer such a loon, thinkin' you could rescue me from those goons like that. Heh, it worked out pretty well though, eh mate?"

Her face hits me like a glimmering beam of light, cleansing my darkness and filling me with joy.

"I'll never forget what ya did back there… even if I never see ya again after tonight."

I don't like the sound of that.

"We must be on our way," Magil says. "There's no way of knowing who else knows we're here now."

"I know. That bastard's causin' us too much trouble…

They said they were Lynx's personal guards, yeah? They might have some valuable stuff on 'em…" But before she even finishes speaking, Kid starts to search through the head goblin's clothes.

Sheesh, there's really no need to be such a scavenger…

"Hey, what's this?" she says, removing a small metal object from the goblin's pocket. It's a hand-shaped medallion of some sort, covered in archaic-looking symbols.

"It's a key," Magil says, walking over toward us. "These markings suggest it unlocks a certain magical seal."

"Wow… well, their loss," says Kid, casually putting the plate in her pocket.

"Dammit, they don't have any other good stuff. Cheap goblins…"

She stands up and looks around, sighing. "It'd be a waste to leave all this loot behind, though!"

"We can always come back for it later, Kid."

Kid turns around and grins. "Yeah, yer right. Okay, let's go. The night won't last forever."

From the treasure vault, we head back to the stairs heading down that would eventually lead to Riddel's and Lynx's quarters. We're not planning on going to the torture chamber again, thank you very much.

After descending the stairs, we take the archway on the left, the one we hadn't taken previously.

Peeping in from the arched entranceway, Kid looks astonished. "Wow, look at this! I heard about these things, they're called atriums."

A large fountain sits in the center of this beautiful room. Looking across the way, another archway similar to this one leads off into the darkness.

"Whoa, cold!" Kid exclaims, taking her hand out of the water.

Coming to her side, I kneel down and peer into the pond. Leaning over the beautiful marble edge, I too feel the chilly water.

From deep beneath the surface, a number of fish start to swim toward us.

"These buggers look expensive…"

I can't seem to see the bottom of the pond. I wonder how deep it is…

The fish are a little restless, splashing here and there.

Suddenly, Kid tugs at my arm, jerking my hand out of the water. Before I can ask why, one of the fish leaps out, snapping at me.

We scramble to our feet and take a few steps from the fountain.

Many other fish soon follow, jumping out of the water, snapping at us. A few land outside of the pond. I kick one of them into a corner. Watching it violently squirm around, it appears to be a piranha.

More and more of them emerge from the apparently bottomless depth.

Having gotten a fresh scent of game, the piranhas start to splash around more viciously now, getting water everywhere.

I wonder how many of these things could be in there… It looks like there are more of them emerging every second.

Suddenly, a dark red liquid starts to erupt from the fountain! Kid leaps back at once. I'm shocked as well, staring dumbfoundedly at the erupting fountain.

The gushing red liquid shoots higher and higher! The water level in the pond rapidly rises, taking on a disgusting red hue!

Before long, the water level has started to overflow onto the floor! A bead of sweat rolls down my brow as I realize that the room is about to fill with water!

We might be able to make it a safe distance before the piranhas reach us.

"Come on, we're outnumbered!!"

Splashing through the water, we turn back, heading for the passageway from where we came.

However, a few of them manage to sink their teeth into me before I can get away!

I kick off the last remaining few as I bolt out of this vile room!

"Phew… what a close call."

"That rat bastard… Whatever trick he's got up his sleeve, it won't stop us for long. We're comin' for ya, Lynx!"

While resting on a wall to tend to my wounds, I look up and notice something out of the ordinary.

"Hey, was this here before…?"

Carved into the wall, a large marble sculpture of an intimidating face down at us coldly.

It looks as though it's been sculpted by a fine artisan. It's very detailed -- its features are beautifully etched and barely eroded.

"It's a Mouth of Truth," Magil says.

"A what?"

"A Mouth of Truth. The legend is that if you are given to lying, a Mouth of Truth will know if you put your hands into its mouth."

"Oh, what a hard idea," Kid says, rolling her eyes.

"Let's see you do it," I say.

Kid seems to hesitate, but seeing Magil looking over at her, she firmly places her hands in the giant mouth. 

However, after a few seconds, nothing seems to be happening.

"Hey, whaddaya know, guess I passed the test!"

Hmm… that can't be all there is to it…

Ah! I know.

"Kid, how many pounds do you weigh?"

"A hundred and four! Err…"

Kid suddenly takes on a worried look, but before she can remove her hands, the marble set of teeth clamps down onto her wrists!

"Hey, ya stupid face! What's goin' on!?"

The white marble teeth gnaw from side to side, becoming stained with red!

"Dammit, lemme go!!"

Magil calmly offers an explanation from behind us.

"Without saying something truthful to the best of one's ability, a Mouth of Truth will never let go."

Not hearing him at all, Kid kicks the stone face in a fit of anger.

"Lemme go, ya stupid face! I swear I'm gonna knock yer teeth in!!"

Then, as swiftly as it closed, the mouth opens!

I crouch down to Kid, who's kneeling on the floor, rubbing her wrists.

"Wow, I guess you weren't lying about knocking his teeth in…"

"'Course not, mate… I showed 'im good. Bloody stone face…"

"You didn't put anything inside the mouth, did you, Kid?" Magil asks.

"What're ya talkin' about? No…!"

I walk over beside Magil and peer into the mouth. There, behind its teeth, is a large pink tongue. I think there's some sort of indentation in it, but I can't be sure -- it's really far back in there.

"Maybe it wants us to put something on its tongue… maybe that's the real test."

Kid begins taking out her things. From in her pockets, under her shoes, and out of her hair, she gathers all sorts of personal effects. She stretches the pile of trinkets held in her hands out to me, smiling innocently.

Guess it's my turn to face the test. As long as Kid's safe, I'm happy, I suppose.

Wondering what the Mouth of Truth could possibly want, I reach for one of her accessories.

I take a small silver mirror into my hands and place it into the huge marble mouth.

"Well, no sign of tooth decay here…"

The mouth doesn't budge an inch. Whatever's supposed to happen, isn't happening…

Kid takes the mirror from me, and fixes her hair a little. Oh man, she looks so cute when she does that…

"We should test others before we stop," Magil advises.

I take the file and place it into the marmoreal Mouth of Truth. It doesn't seem to fit on the tongue. But then…

Dammit! It dropped down the back of its throat!

"Aaarrghhhh! What'd ya have to go and do that for?!

Nail files don't grow on trees, Serge! Don't ya know how important one of those things is to a lady!?"

Whoa… So now I see her true colors…

"What was that for?" I ask, reeling back from her slap.

"That's the last one of my things you'll be gettin' yer hands on!"

"Come on, Kid… it won't happen again, I promise."

"Hrmf… arrite, I guess," Kid says, showing me the rest of her trinkets. "I'm only doin' this for the Flame…"

Yeah, yeah, whatever. I look at her stuff for a moment, then blink.

"A centipede? You were carrying around a centipede with you this entire time!?"

"Perhaps it's a pet…?"

"It's only a toy, silly."

"Oh, okay. But still…"

"It's for scarin' fools like you! And see, it worked! Heh, heh…"

Boy, the things I'm learning about Kid these days…

Anyhow, I take her rubber centipede and place it into the Mouth of Truth's mouth.

Dammit, it's too slippery! I accidentally drop it down its throat!

"Serge!! Why do ya keep losin' my stuff!?"

"I can still reach it, I think. It didn't go that far down," I say, putting my whole arm inside. Goose bumps run up my body as I realize this thing could bite off my entire arm right now…

"Urrh… hold on…

Come on, Serge… just a little more!

Aha! Got it!

I hope this thing is important to you…"

"Yeah, losing it would be a drag," Kid answers. I wipe the sweat off my brow, letting out a deep sigh.

"Well, that didn't seem to work. What else do you have?"

We could be here all night, at this rate…

After some thinking I take the lipstick and smear some of it on the Mouth of Truth's marble lips.

"Hey! My lipstick!!"

Kid explodes at the mere sight of me wasting her lipstick. It's a shame, I thought I did a very good job of prettying the marble face up.

"That's not what it's used for!!"

"It's just strange for you to have something like this with you in the first place, Kid…"

"What, now yer sayin' it's weird for me to own cosmetics?"

Gulp!

"Uh… no! Not really…"

"You better buy me a new one once we get outta here!"

"All right, I'll owe it to you," I answer apologetically. She won't be letting me forget about this very easily, I can tell.

I take some of Kid's special raisins out of their cloth bag and place them in the giant mouth.

Munch… munch…

It seems to be eating them.

"Hey, stop, ya dumb rock head! Those are emergency rations!"

Kid snatches the pouch back from me. Looking at the single morsel I have left in my hand, I find myself wondering what these so-called emergency rations taste like…

Mmmmm…tasty.

"Serge! Now yer eatin' em too!? I'm not gonna have any left for real emergencies!!" Kid says, staring at me angrily.

Yeah right, I say to myself. I've never seen her offer any of them to me when I needed them…

I look back at her stuff, and pick up a fishing line of some sort.

I take the thin silk threat into my hand and hang it down into the huge marble mouth.

"That's a silk fishing line, taken from a royal silkworm. Be careful with it."

I can feel it hook on to something, as the thread gives a bit of a tug. Looking in, it appears to be some sort of paper.

"All right! We're on to somethin' for sure!" Kid says, trying to look inside.

Oh, no! I lost the thread down its throat…

I silently turn towards Kid, shrugging my shoulders with a red face.

"You idiot!!"

Like an electric shock, she slaps me across the face!

Terrified, I lunge back into the mouth. Reaching in as far as I can, I feel the thread after a moment or two! I carefully pull it back out, relieved.

The object it has latched onto is nowhere in sight however.

Leaning against the wall, Magil somberly asks us, "What now?"

I take a ball of gunpowder out of Kid's hand, and place it within the huge stone mouth…

However, nothing happens.

"Do it, Serge!" Kid says, putting some matches in my hand.

I don't know about this…

"Do it."

I don't know, really…

Suddenly, I hear the sound of a fuse burning! Kid's already lit the bomb! I quickly run for cover in a far corner!

The explosion's quite loud, so I cover my ears to try and lessen it.

As the smoke clears, I start to see the hideous remains of the cracked Mouth of Truth.

From beside me, I watch Kid dust herself off and walk over to the mutilated stone face with yet another bomb!

"Come on, Kid. We don't need to completely demolish it…"

"Aw, it ain't dangerous, mate! It's just a little fire!"

Kid glances over at my face, I'm practically begging her to stop.

"All right already! Ya never wanna have any fun," Kid says, kicking some dirt around.

"Well, what next?"

I take the worn leather scroll into my hands and examine it.

"Heh, what's this? Secret Ninja training techniques?" I ask sarcastically.

Kid smiles lazily, rolling her eyes.

I unfasten the tie and open up the scroll.

"Oh, wow…"

Strange symbols are written at length of the scroll. A lot has been written here; it appears this took some time to write. Judging by my face that this is something of importance, Kid walks over and takes a look.

"Oh, it's an Imperial code chart primer. It's used for transmitting information through enemy lines."

"Really? I can't read any of it. You've got to show us how to use this thing."

"What would I wanna do that for? It would ruin the secrecy!" she says, walking off alone.

Maybe she can't read it either…

"Okay, well what are we gonna do about this big ol' hunk of rock?" Kid asks hastily.

I take the hand-shaped plate Kid picked up earlier. Its strange, contorted symbols give me a headache just by looking at them. Nervously, I reach in and place it onto the tongue…

It's a perfect fit!

Sliding it into place, I quickly remove my hand and back away a few steps. The huge white eyes start moving around slowly, and a slight vibration can be felt from behind the wall.

Something's happening… something big. I just wish I knew whether it's good or bad.

An odd sound escapes from the Mouth of Truth as its eyes continue to roll.

I want to make a run for it. However, I look over and see the ever-fearless expression in Kid's eyes, and stay my ground.

"Uh… um…"

Suddenly, the marble sculpture stops moving. I stare at it, wondering what's going on.

Then, its tongue starts to roll around inside its mouth, while its eyes tilt further upwards until its pupils disappear underneath its eyelids.

We hear the plate sliding down its throat, vanishing into the deep dark depths of the mansion!

"Wh, what's happening?"

"Apparently a pious being such as this may roll its eyes from time to time."

The simple fact that Magil tried to make a joke just there makes me stop and forget where I am for a second.

"All that's gonna happen is yer gonna lose another one of my things. I coulda got a lot of cash for that," Kid says regrettably.

Suddenly, over by the atrium, we start to hear some sort of latch being opened. And then, moments later, the sound of water draining echoes throughout the corridor!

Taking a few steps toward the atrium, I see the red water has formed into a whirlpool and is flowing down into the pond. The piranhas are being washed away!

"What'sa matter, lil fishies? Not enough water? Aw… playtime's over, ya nasty buggers."

"Come on, I'm dying to see what's past that fountain!"

Having crossed through the atrium, eventually we come to a split in the path. We can either go left or right from here.

Kid looks back and forth between the paths, and finally heads left, leaving us to follow.

After a bit of walking, we come to an old-looking door with a brass handle.

"Dammit, another locked door."

"I don't get it, there's no smell of gold or nothin'."

"This leads to Viper Manor's catacombs," says Magil hesitantly.

…He's right. Standing here in silence, I realize there's a faint scent of death in the air. And then, putting my ear to the door, I start to hear deep, tortured moans coming from beyond…

I jump back, looking at the door. "Umm… let's try somewhere else."

Heading away from the catacombs, we eventually come to a split. Turning right heads back to the atrium, while ahead of us, I can see nothing but a dark stone corridor, leading off into darkness.

After a little ways walking down the passageway, we come to a descending staircase…

We slowly walk down the stairs, taking us deep below the ground. It's as though we're descending further and further into an endless abyss…

Once we reach the bottom, we come to another split. We can go left or right, but both paths look equally dismal.

This time we take the right path first.

After a little while, the passage ends at a small door. "Hey, I smell home cookin'…"

Kid greedily opens the door and Magil and I follow reluctantly.

"Oh, it's just a small kitchen."

"For the servants, probably," I add.

I look around the tiny room. There's a sink, pots and pans, and a bunch of food in the cupboards. A rat hangs in a cage off in a corner, but aside from that, it's a pretty average kitchen.

Kid walks over to a deep saucepan and peers inside.

"Mmm… smells fresh. Want some grub, Serge?"

"Uhh, sure…"

I timidly peer into the saucepan. It looks like some sort of stew. Using the ladle on the stove, I reach in and take a big scoop…

"Mmmm, delicious!"

Kid looks at me again. After a moment of hesitation, she comes over. "Quit hoggin' it all for yerself, mate!" she says, taking the ladle and sniffing the warm mixture.

"Want some, Magil?"

"No, thank you."

We take some bowls from the shelves, and serve ourselves some more.

As we eat more and more, the stew's warmth flows all through us! I feel great!

But then, all of a sudden, a quiet shrill voice echoes out. It seems to be coming from over by the cage. "Ah, what an independent young lad… are all the boys wearing braids these days?"

I stop and look at Kid.

"Who's there!?"

Looking over in the direction of the voice, we see nothing but the single rat. It stares at us with its small, beady eyes…

"Ah, excuse me… you're a girl, not a boy."

It looks like Kid can't decide whether to be puzzled or infuriated by all this. But just between you and me, I don't think this is the first time her personality has led someone to think she's a guy…

At any rate, the brown rat continues. "Listen, please, kind humans! I am trapped within a most unfortunate situation. While on my way to the kitchen this morning to bring home some food for my mother, goblins seized me and trapped me here in this cage! Unless I can escape, I am to be a side-dish for their next meal!"

A side-dish…?

Listening to the rat, Kid walks over to the sink.

"Please, you must help me! My desperately ill mother awaits my return!" the rat pleads, its eyes twinkling in the light.

However, I look over towards Kid. She's over by the sink, her face getting redder and redder…

"Stupid rat! Don't even know a lady when ya see one!" Kid yells, stomping out of the kitchen.

"Oh, young lady… I did not mean to…"

With Kid gone, the rat turns towards me. "Brother… help me…"

"I understand."

I open the cage door. The rat quickly scurries out.

"Heh, heh," the rat laughs, as a strange smile comes over its face. "You really are a bunch of fools."

Spitting out those words, the rat suddenly starts growing in size, growing larger and larger by the second!

It's a gryphon!!

"Stupid humans. You're just in time for lunch! My mother's, that is!"

"Dammit Serge, ya walked right into its trap!!"

Oh man… what was I thinking?

The gryphon rises up onto its hind legs, screeching and flapping its huge wings! Suddenly, its sharp talons swoop down out at us!

"Hit the deck!" I shout.

I frantically try to dodge the beast, hoping to avoid those terrifying three-inch claws. I manage to avoid its blow, but I'm now cornered into the back of the room!

As it inches near me for a strike, it rises up onto its hind legs once again, this time even higher than before!

However, in a moment of blind luck, the gryphon suddenly loses balance on the slippery floor and comes crashing to the ground!

"Urrghhh…"

Wow, talk about close calls… I let out a breath of relief as I stand over the gryphon, wondering what to do next.

"So, ya ugly little rat… now who's stupid?"

"Uhh… wait! Please, I beg you, kind, beautiful human girl!!

I am aware of valued information! If you promise to spare my life, I will tell you a special secret of the mansion!"

"I dunno… you lied already, ya bugger… I'd rather just kill ya and have it be over with," Kid says, taking a step closer.

"Kid, let us hear what he has to say," Magil says, coming between them. Kid pauses for a second, and then steps back.

"Th, thank you!"

"Tha woulda been fun…" Kid says, shrugging.

"One day, you too may find yourselves within my situation, caged in on all sides! If such a fate comes to pass, remember these direction and your lives shall be spared!

Right three steps…

Left two steps… 

Right two steps…

And then you'll see!"

No sooner than it says this, the gryphon transforms back into a rat, scurrying off into a crack in the wall.

"I sure hope sparin' that thing was worth it. Who knows when it'll sneak up on us next…"

Heading back, we finally reach the stairs again, but we pass it, for now.

After a little ways, we're presented with a sturdy set of doors.

A wooden plague has been hung above the door frame. Only one word is written on it -- ARMORY.

"Armory, eh? The key to the catacombs has gotta be in here."

Kid places her ear on the door. "Not a peep."

Convinced there's no one in there, I open the door carefully.

Someone is here, however.

With a book in hand, a single goblin sits in a chair, humming to itself. A sweet aroma fills the room, presumably from the teacup sitting on the table before it.

There's something different about this goblin. It doesn't seem hostile in the least.

Looking up from its book, it examines us from behind its bifocals.

"Ah, welcome. It's rare to have visitors all the way down here."

"Too bad we're not guests!" Kid shouts. "If you wanna live, tell us where the key to the catacombs is!"

And, with that, Kid takes her knife and thrusts it into the desk, slicing through the tablecloth.

The goblin remains docile.

"Ah, you must be the elusive Kid. I so wanted to see you with my own eyes. We've all heard so much about you…"

But before it can finish its sentence, Kid grabs the knife and hurls it through the air.

The goblin sets its book down, now unreadable due to the seven-inch blade protruding through it. It removes the knife and places it on the table.

"Your reputation precedes you. You are quite a radical young lady. Nevertheless, it's a shame… I wanted to see how that novel ended up.

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Esmeld," it says, offering a simple introduction.

"Please, I do hate to keep my guests standing at bay. Come, sit, and we shall converse over tea."

My first thought is that it's poisoned. Despite my concerns, Magil sits down.

Trusting Magil, I sit down next to him. Surely he's got something up his sleeve.

Looking at Kid, she truly doesn't want anything to do with this. She remains standing, keeping a vigilant eye on Esmeld.

Black tea is set for three at the table.

"Ah, there we are."

After a moment, Magil takes the teacup, and brings it slowly to his mouth. He takes a sip, and then sets the cup back on the table.

Esmeld smiles.

"Ah, Himalayan Chimpanzee. I've not had this blend in quite some time," Magil says.

"I see you are a gentleman of fine taste. I will have you know, not many of my visitors have known of this type of black tea."

Listening to their banter, I stare at my cup.

Could it really be poisoned…? Picking up the teacup, I bring it close to my mouth. It doesn't smell so bad…

"Delicious!" I exclaim. I've never had anything like this before…

I loosen up a bit, sitting back in my chair.

Wait a sec, what's going on? My wounds, they're being healed!

Looking over towards Kid, she seems to be enjoying it as well.

"So, let's get down to business. Certainly the key to the catacombs has to be around here somewhere. Whether I remember where it is however… that's a different story."

I think for a second, then ask, "Is there something you'd like in exchange?"

"Hmm… something I want… your life, perhaps," he says, as his eyes light up from behind his glasses.

"Oh, you misunderstand, young man. I do not wish to harm you," Esmeld says, noticing the sudden look of shock on my face.

"I enjoy chatting with the many types of visitors that we have in the mansion. Surely, as an adventurer, you must have plenty of interesting stories to tell."

Adding to this, he looks in my direction with a smile.

"I look highly on unique stories, and have been known to reward such storytellers…"

Staring down at the dark liquid before me, I start to rack my brain for a really good story…

Okay, I've got it!

"On one particular evening, a small girl walked through a dark, dreary forest. The girl suddenly came across a large beetle.

Taking it back to her home, the girl painted the beetle from head to toe with a shiny golden paint."

"Hmmmm… a fine beginning, perhaps. Is that all?"

"No! Umm… One evening, while a girl was walking through the forest, she came across a beetle.

She took it home, painting it with a shiny gold paint.

The next morning, the girl went to town to sell the beetle.

Claiming it was a good luck beetle, she showed it to many travelers, and eventually sold it for an outrageous sum of money!"

"Yeah, Serge… and I'll bet the girl's name was Kid, wasn't it."

From beside me, chills run down my spine as I hear Kid question me in her coldest tone.

"I made it up, Kid…" I whisper to her. Maybe she really did do something like that in the past. Glancing at her, I see her eyes start to cloud over.

Then, suddenly, she starts choking me, wrapping both her hands around my neck!

"How do you know about all this!?" Kid yells, strangling me!

From behind me, I see Esmeld pull out one of his tea bags. Noticing it, she suddenly forgets all about me, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the tea.

"Perhaps some of my precious black tea leaves can be used to prevent against ruckus in here."

Kid immediately snatches the tea bag.

"…It was a fairly entertaining story. I am a goblin of my word, and as such, I shall give you the key," he says, knocking on a certain spot at a nearby wall. A secret compartment opens, from where he takes the key!

He hands it to us with a smile on his face. Thanking him, we leave the room.

We quickly make our way to the catacombs, walking up the stairs quietly.

"Okay, the goblin's key should open this door," Kid says, putting the key into the lock.

With a click, the door unlocks. The door opens with a deep creak…

Damp air creeps up from below. Peering into the dark, decrepit place, I wonder how I ever got talking into coming to a place like this…

We find ourselves in a long hallway, flanked on both sides by rows of countless jail cells. The cold iron bars stretch on in front of us endlessly…

One… Two…

"Ohhhh… Karsh… Marcy… Dario… forgive me…"

A quiet, sobbing voice seems to be coming from the third cell on the right.

I peer around the corner into the cell. In this dim, damp space, an old man sits in solitude, quietly mumbling to himself.

"Hey, Mister…"

"Everyone… and it was all because of me. Every last one of the Dragoons… Miss Riddel… even the General…! Forgive me… please…"

Ignoring us, the old man continues to mutter, staring at the floor as he rocks back and forth.

"Hey, can ya hear me?" Kid says, shaking the bars a little.

"He will not hear a thing. He has constructed a wall around himself," Magil says.

"What do you mean?" I ask Magil.

"A wall, used for shielding one's mind from reality. After being exposed to horrific events amounts of pain and guilt has this effect on a person. He has made a safe world inside his own mind, where he retreats into. From there, he refuses to acknowledge anything he does not want to admit."

I notice that talking about this has given Magil a sort of sad, lost look in his face. Noticing my glance, he quickly turns away from me.

Strange… Magil somehow reminded me of Kid just then.

When Magil turns back, his usual blank expression has returned.

"Does this make sense to you, Serge?" Magil asks.

"Yeah, it does…"

Magil continues, looking at Kid and me. "We rarely see the walls we're trapped within. However, given time, some can come to understand and possibly even break free of these shortcomings… I……"

I wait for Magil to finish, but he doesn't end up saying anything. I'd ask, but… oh well.

The mind… Revealing itself to itself…

"We can't help this old geezer. Let's get back to work," Kid says, already heading for the door.

"Wait, Kid," Magil calls out.

"Somehow or another, we may yet find a way into this man's mind."

"What good'll that do?"

"Didn't you hear what he was talking about? The Dragoons, Riddel, General Viper…"

"Aw, he's prolly just into old folklore or somethin'…" Kid says, returning to the door.

"I have a feeling his knowledge will prove to be useful. Certainly he has heard something of importance concerning our situation," Magil says.

'Well, I guess we oughta help the old bloke with his troubles while we're here. What do you say we do?" Kid asks.

"Somehow, we have to put an end to this…"

"Huh!?" Kid says, looking up. "You got a problem with me!?"

"Eh!? N, no… that's not what I meant…"

But before I can explain, Kid's fist suddenly flies into my face!

Narrowly avoiding the blow, I look up to see Magil starting to speak again,

"We must find a way to reach beyond his wall. For every locked door, there exists a key, so to speak. We will never make any progress with this man until we know what lies in his past."

"What are you talkin' about, a key?" Kid asks.

"I do not know either," Magil answers.

"However, there is at least one person in Viper Manor who does."

"…Riddel!"

"Indeed."

Leaving the endless rows of cells behind, we head back to the passageway. We make our way through the hallway, heading back to Riddel's room. When we pass the atrium, I shudder at the smell of dead fish.

Finally, we reach Riddel's room, and enter quietly.

Inside, the room is still as deserted as it was last time we were here.

Or, so I thought.

"Is someone there?"

I instantly hide behind the door, trying to figure out where that voice came from. It sounded like a girl, but it wasn't Kid…

It's Lynx's adopted daughter, Riddel! It has to be her!

"Odd… I could have sworn I heard someone come in," she says. Apparently she hasn't seen us yet…

What do we do? I keep myself hidden behind the door.

Suddenly, Kid bolts out from behind a chair! She silently comes up behind Riddel, putting a knife to her throat!

"We've come for the Frozen Flame -- where is it!!" Kid yells in a low, strict voice.

"Kid… there's no need to be like that," I say, trying to calm her down.

"Quiet, Serge!"

Riddel giggles at the two of us.

"What's so funny!!!" Kid says in a tight tone.

"Oh, come on, you can't be thieves -- you're far too noisy!"

"I wouldn't be sayin' such things if I was you!"

"Well then, go ahead and cut me."

At that moment, I picture in my head Riddel collapsing with a blue face, smeared in blood.

"Kid, look at her. She's not going to hurt us."

"Dammit… all right! Still, don't think I'm not keeping an eye on ya!"

"The feeling is mutual," Riddel says.

"Don't worry, we're not your enemies. We're not after your power," I say to Riddel, trying to keep cool.

"We've just come to talk. If there's anything you could tell us about the Frozen Flame, or perhaps the Acacia Dragoons…"

Hearing those words, a somber look comes over Riddel's face. After a moment, she begins to speak…

"The Frozen Flame… it was kept in a kingdom to the north for centuries, legend has it…

With its subtle, mysterious power, it allegedly could guide people and change history, all while somehow remaining elusive to those who sought it, or so I have heard.

At the time of that kingdom's downfall, it was seized from its resting place. Passed from hand to hand, finally it came into the possession of my father, General Viper.

Lynx approached my father as a friend, years ago. Blindly trusting him, my father was taken advantage of by Lynx, unable to realize his true intentions…

And so, on that fateful day, struck down by his alleged friend, my father was robbed and left for dead…"

Averting her eyes, Riddel buries her face in her hands.

"I didn't know… I didn't know Lynx was behind all this at the time he took me into custody. I was just a child…

That cursed rock, I didn't want anything about it, and I don't want to! I don't want to have anything to do with it!!

I want nothing more than to see this all come to an end," she says with tears in her eyes.

I'm taken aback, hearing those words.

Suddenly, Magil comes forward to speak. "Do you know of the man who currently is locked away in the catacombs?"

"That traitor! Because of him, my father… my dear Dario…!!"

"Please, Miss…"

Turning her back on us, Riddel pauses. After a moment, she turns around, letting out a deep sigh.

"Yes, I know the man of whom you speak."

"He is an Acacia Dragoon, is he not?" Magil asks.

"He was, before he spent countless days and nights locked up in the torture chamber, losing his mind as well as his identity in the process.

I remember the day they removed him from that dreadful room, beaten within an inch of his life…"

"The torture chamber you speak of, it is the room upstairs with the trap ceiling, correct?"

Riddel nods silently.

"Perhaps we may find a clue to his past there," says Magil.

I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this…

"If you must search that room, be sure to have the Einlanzer with you before you do."

"Eye-what?" Kid asks.

"It is a holy white sword, created long ago by ancient sages with its demonic brother, the Masamune.

It was the Acacia Dragoons' most prized weapon. It once glided through the air in Dario's hand, shimmering like a star…

Now, however, the Dragoons are all but extinct, and the sword has been stored somewhere in the mansion, as though it was some sort of trivial memento…

It is much more than a common sword, though. Shielded by its magical enhancement, its bearer will be protected against many forms of evil."

Thinking of those memories of days long gone, again, Riddel hangs her head in sadness. "I wish I could be more of a help to you. I apologize…"

"Now, that was plenty!" Kid says, heading out of the room.

"But… I wish I was more powerful, like you people," Riddel says, biting her lip.

Stopping in the doorway, Kid looks over her shoulder.

"Strength didn't get us here. Power comes from believing in yerself!"

"I… I see. I wish you luck."

As she heads out of the room, Kid mutters, "Hope is ain't bad luck…"

When we're in the hallway, I suddenly have the urge to see that mirror in Lynx's quarters again. I don't know why, I just do.

After a small walk, we arrive at Lynx's quarters… Oh man, I can feel Kid's blood boiling from here.

Kid walks in first. I don't bother.

"Lynx!!"

What? Lynx is here!? I rush into the room behind Kid, unsheathing my knife in a flash of adrenaline.

"Where is he!?"

Beside me, Kid says, "Gotcha."

Huh? Oh darn it! Not funny, Kid!

"Tee hee… were ya scared?" she asks, giggling.

"Oh sheesh… don't do that to me, heh…"

"Has Lord Lynx returned to the room?" a high alto voice asks.

Kid and I glance at each other, giggling. "No, he isn't here right now."

"Ah, Master Serge. Is there something I can answer for you?" the statue asks in a pleasant voice. "Or, perhaps, you'd be interested in this lovely gift I have for you?"

"Huh? A gift?"

"Only a modest token of my appreciation for you and your comrades. I present you with a personal invitation into the Realm of the Looking Glass, if you are interested."

"Wow, really?"

"Yes, but we must hurry. Time is of the essence."

I look towards the dark, rippling surface of the mirror.

Slowly, I reach my hand out towards it.

It feels like my hand is being submerged in water, passing straight into the mirror…

Suddenly, there's a slight pull. I try to retract my arm, but the harder I pull, the further I seem to be getting drawn in…

"Master Serge! Take your hand out, quickly!!"

Just then, a crack streaks across the mirror!

"What's… going on!?"

Amidst my struggling, I see a crack start to streak down the mirror's glass…

"Save yourself, Master Serge… Please, before I am forced to consume you…"

"What!?"

Kid starts pulling with me, despite the increasing force drawing me in! I'm now up to my shoulder in this thing!

"On the count of three," I yell!

"One, two, three!!"

We tumble backwards, falling onto the couch. I look at my arm in a daze. It's fine.

Shaking myself off, I return to the mirror, now even more cracked since I last saw it.

"Lynx planned to seal you all in the mirror," the statue says, sobbing.

Each time it speaks, another crack seems to be running into it.

"This isn't all… I had alerted Lord Lynx of your presence, long before you had known of me…"

"Why?"

"Lynx has already taken away everything I have…

He refused to allow me to leave Viper Manor, coercing me to be the mansion's eyes and ears, promising he would someday set me free…" 

Hanging her head low, the Venus statue speaks in a quiet, solemn voice.

"However, it was simply another one of Lord Lynx's schemes. No freedom is worth stealing another's for. I would rather destroy myself then become another murderer…"

As yet another crack appears, a large piece of the mirror breaks off, falling to the ground.

"No… don't…!" I yell, grasping the mirror!

A huge crack streaks across the entire mirror, preventing me from seeing almost any of the statue…

The statue's lips can be seen moving faintly from beyond the now heavily cracked mirror, but no words can be heard…

Ultimately, it simply shatters.

I silently bend down and gather up all the shards. Putting them on the desk, I look into the kaleidoscope of reflections…

"Serge…?" From behind me, I hear Kid's voice.

"Let's go, mate…"

As I leave the room, I quietly look over my shoulder, looking at the smashed mirror. I stop for a second, hoping to hear a voice, but…

All I hear is silence.

Heading back, we travel through the passageway, eager to shake this feeling of dread.

I suddenly stop, remembering something from before.

"What's wrong, mate?"

"Kid… back in the storeroom, didn't you find a sword there?"

"…Yer not sayin'…"

We immediately start to head back for the clock tower storeroom, going as fast as we can without making too much noise. And for Magil, that's fast, but he stays with us.

Once there, we rush over towards the sword. Looking down at it, Magil starts to speak.

"This may be what we're looking for. By the looks of it, this sword could be the fabled holy Einlanzer, or perhaps the demonic Masamune…"

"Wow Magil, you know about the Masamune?"

"…………"

"Did ya ever know its owner?"

"………Yes."

"Was he yer mate?"

"………"

"So he was one of yer enemies then?"

"………No."

"Hmm… well, hey Serge, take this thing!"

"Huh…?"

"Come on, ya don't expect a fair maiden like me to carry this bulky thing all over the place, do ya? Well?"

I grit my teeth and remind myself it would get me absolutely nowhere to argue with her…

So, I go to Kid's side, and pick up the sword, just as I was told to.

"Oof!"

Jeez, it's heavy…

Okay, let's get our arses to that bloody torture chamber! I can almost smell the Frozen Flame from here!"

I follow Kid out of the room, dragging the heavy sword.

We head for the stairs, and with Kid in the lead, we ascend the narrow staircase…

I nearly slip and fall on one of the damp stairs. Bracing myself against the cold walls, I keep on climbing…

Once we enter the torture chamber, I look up, remembering the deadly ceiling. I'm definitely not going to repeat the mistake of overstaying my welcome here, especially after hearing what Riddel had to say.

Somewhere inside this room, there has to be something that will bring that old man back… but what?

"Just as I thought," Magil says dryly, examining the cracks in the floor. 

Kid and I walk over, kneeling down where's he's at.

Between the cracks between the floor's stones, there's a thick, smelly, butter-like substance that's been jammed into it, among the stains of blood.

Without warning, the door suddenly slams shut!

"It's started again!"

"Okay, what do we do!?"

"We hafta use the sword somehow!!" Kid yells, her voice almost inaudible thanks to the ceiling's deafening screeching.

"But how…!?"

I suddenly remember the strange substance in the floor, and decide to risk it.

With as much power as I can muster, I lift the heavy sword up and plunge it down into a crack in the center of the floor!

A huge jolt runs through the room! Bolts of light scatter in all four directions from the sword, running along the floor, then up the walls!

Reaching the ceiling, the deadly contraption groans, and then comes to a halt!

Exhausted and relieved, I collapse to the floor.

After a minute, I catch my breath and open my eyes.

Strange… now that I take another look at the inscription we found earlier, there's a certain stone just beside it that doesn't seem to have any cement around it…

We walk over to it. Kid tugs on it, and finds that it's loose.

Removing the heavy stone, a dim glistening light can be seen from far within the hole, Kid reaches in, and carefully removes the shimmering object.

A beautifully gold ring sits in the palm of her hand! It's adorned with a slender set of leaves, like those of a fern, decorated with five small rubies around it.

"The Acacian coat of arms," Magil says.

Kid tries the ring on, but strangely enough, it doesn't seem to fit on any of her fingers.

"This ring must mean something to the old man. We could use it to break through his wall, couldn't we?" I excitedly ask Magil, already knowing the answer.

He nods in silence, Yeah, this has to be it!

Abandoning the Einlanzer, now proudly standing upright like a beacon of light amidst this dismal room, we hurry out of the torture chamber, hopefully never to return again.

We hurry of to the catacombs. No matter how many times I return here, I don't think I'll ever get any more used to this place…

We return to the old man. Magil walks up to the cell and grasps the iron bars. He positions his feet, and starts to pull away at the bars with an incredible intensity.

After a moment, the bars start to bend like taffy!

Magil enters first through the newly-create opening.

Kid follows, kneeling down before the mumbling old man. Putting her hands on the old man's shoulders, Kid tries to look into his eyes, but he continues to stare at the floor. Frustrated, she starts to shout at him, shaking him vigorously. "C'mon, old fella! Get up!!"

The old man's head shakes back and forth like a ragdoll's, but his eyes remain averted,

I come between Kid and the old man. Kid looks at me with straightforward eyes. "Don't get in the way, Serge."

"Kid… look at him," I say. "Being agitated is the last thing he needs right now."

"Hrmph! After I'm done with 'im, this old geezer's gonna be brimmin' with old stories!"

As Kid shifts her weight onto her other knee, suddenly the Acacian ring falls out of her pocket. It falls down to the ground, bouncing once, twice, three times…

…And comes to a stop right before the old man's eyes.

Trying to get Kid to calm down, I signal for her to look over to the man, who's now smiling faintly…

"The ring…" he says in a voice so quiet it's barely audible.

However, his eyes quickly return to their murky state. "Finally, my allies… you have returned. Because of me, the Frozen Flame was seized, and I have desecrated the name of the Acacia Dragoons. I am the only one left… but, you have returned…"

"Ah, Marcy, Dario… now that we are once again reunited, let us all head back to Dragon Falls…"

"Jeez! Listen. Mister! The Frozen Flame, where is it!? Any small hint will help! Come on!!"

"Frozen… Flame…?" the old man asks. A warm smile streaks across his face.

"Ah… my dear Miss Riddel… I have not seen you in quite some time. Surely you have not forgotten the secret entranceway?"

"Uhh, yeah… ya think you could tell me about that again, gramps?" Kid asks, trying to sound as ladylike as possible.

"In the ballroom… third candlestick on the left…"

Kid hugs the old man, ecstatic. And so, he resumes his mumbling, in that distant, shuddering voice…

"Please forgive me, for your father… I beg you, Riddel. The Dragoons…"

"It's high time for you to bust outta here, old man," Kid says, pointing to the bent iron bars. However, he once again refuses to look up.

"Come on… we've done all we can do here. He's got to walk through these bars himself."

"Thanks, old timer…"

We leave the catacombs behind us, and make our way through the mansion, heading for the ballroom. After a while we arrive at a beautifully decorated set of double doors.

A countless number of candles spectacularly illuminate this huge room.

An old-fashioned grandfather clock stands on the right, ticking away with a morbid stillness.

I step into the center of the hall, looking upwards at the oil canvases shimmering in the low light.

"Okay, third one on the left," Kid says quietly.

"One… two… three. Here we go…"

As Kid slowly pushes against the candlestick, it starts to move slowly.

I suddenly get the feeling like I'm sinking through the ground, but nothing seems to be wrong.

"Wh, what's going on…!?" I stammer, trying to brace myself.

"This entire room is slowly sinking into the ground," Magil says.

The ballroom is sinking? All of it…!?

Suddenly, the room starts to fall much faster! Chills run down my spine as I look around, seeing the paintings smacking against the walls and the candles dropping to the floor!

As I start to get used to the sinking sensation, my heart fills with a violent mixture of anxiety, expectation, and hope. What awaits us at the bottom?

The Frozen Flame…

Could it really be down here? Is this out adventure's end? What if we actually take it into our hands…?

Kid… Magil… I wonder what they're feeling right now…

As the room continues to sink underground like an elevator to Hell, I start to hear Kid speak in a soft, meek voice…

"…Sometimes… …sometimes, I do struggle to win, even when I know I've already lost, just like that lady said. Why do I do that?"

Looking over at her, I realize this isn't the Kid I usually see. There, a faint, shy smile can be seen across her face.

Suddenly, I feel something so powerful go through me, it feels like a wave of fire, surging through my heart.

"Don't worry, we can't lose, there's no doubt!"

"Whatever," Kid says beneath her breath, smiling faintly. "Sayings like those never made much sense to me. There's never a case where there ain't a doubt. Not a single one.

"But… thanks, mate."

She looks towards me with a meek smile. Looking at her, I realize there could never be another girl like her in the entire world, ever…

The shy laugh she sported a moment ago has reverted into a sort of mysterious gaze. As I stare at her, she asks me, "Hey, what's up with you all of a sudden?"

"Nothing… you just looked like a different person there for a second."

"Really…?" she say in astonishment, tilting her head.

"It's probably because of the Frozen Flame. We're getting close," Magil says. His low rumbling voice causes the shadows of the room to tremble.

What do ya mean?" Kid asks with a wrinkled brow.

"Look inside of yourself and you will find the answer, Kid. The struggle for your catharsis is upon you…"

"What in the world are ya talkin' about…?"

Suddenly, a metallic grinding sound can be heard from all around us!

The room comes to a stop, swaying a bit.

"Guess this's our stop," Kid says with a hollow laugh.

I stand motionless, staring at Kid and Magil in the dim, flickering luminescence.

Suddenly, the organ comes to life!

Looking back towards the monstrous thing, no one is even near it! Nevertheless, it continues to play its strange twisted tune, the keys and pedals moving wildly on their own.

"Sounds like a funeral march. Heh, just kiddin'…"

Bad joke, Kid.

"All right! Let's do this!" Kid says, taking a deep breath as she heads for the door.

I glance at Magil, nodding my head as we follow her out.

"It's a funeral march, all right! Lynx's, that is!"

We start down the long dark path in front of us.

The air down here carries a thick stench of death. Somewhere, further down this passageway, Lynx's subterranean hideout awaits.

Kid's got a strange look on her face. I can't imagine what must be going through her head right now. Magil on the other hand… I can never read him. But still, we usually talk a little, lightening things up… but right now, nobody's making a sound.

I try to offer some conversation, hoping to avoid the increasing tension.

"So, what really is this Frozen Flame thing?"

…No response.

Just as I start to think no one is going to answer, Magil starts to speak, his low voice echoing throughout the stone corridor.

"It was said to be a gem which soothes all scars, granting eternal life to its owner…

…Or so people believed.

The Frozen Flame is more than just an object. It's not from this world.

It descended from the heavens long ago, part of a huge meteorite.

Once, there lived a large group people who sought to harness its power, hoping to tap into their yet unknown potential. And so, it became a treasure of great importance and dreams.

However, whether a gift which bestows power is actually a blessing or a curse, is another question altogether.

Since the birth of humanity, at least one entire race has fallen because of it. These people once built a great thriving metropolis with its power, but now, all knowledge of this era has been completely lost within the sands of time."

A faint feeling of distress comes across Magil's voice, throughout his speech.

"But then, how you know about all this?" I ask.

Again, no answer.

Keeping silent, I continue walking. Our footsteps once again the only sound filling this dark path…

"Well, whether any of that's true or not, it'll all lead us to the same place. Say yer prayers, Lynx! We're comin' for ya! Tha's all I know, and that's plenty!"

The Frozen Flame… what in the world could see in that mysterious rock…?

Flooded with thoughts, I pause for a moment to take a deep breath to calm myself.

Continuing on a moment later, I feel as though I'm a bit more at peace…

Suddenly, Magil comes to a stop. "Do not move."

"Huh…?"

Kid and I look around suspiciously. Around us, bones are scattered in all directions. Many of them have been cut cleanly in half.

Looking around more, amidst the dim light I start to see that the walls have been splattered with blood.

The suddenly, a trace of light catches my eye from behind.

There's a bolt of electricity approaching us, sparkling like a lit fuse on the ground.

Coming within a few feet of us, the spark splits off into two, forming a circle around us. Once the circle is complete, an odd low starts to shine at our feet! Then, from where the sparks had traced, light shoots upwards, forming a wall of light all around us!

"It's a Devil Circle!"

We try to move, but we find ourselves caught within the rays of light!

With the scalding, noisy winds, whirling all around us, all I see are rays of shimmering light in every direction I look!

"Wh, what do I do? I can't see anything in all this light!"

Magil grabs me by the shoulder and returns me to the center of the circle. Thankfully, he seems to be able to see just fine; his mask is probably shielding his eyes from the radiance.

"There is always a way out of a Devil Circle -- we must find the gaps to walk through!"

"If you say so…!"

Suddenly, Kid's elbow grazes one of the walls!

Sparks scatter in all directions! She instantly snaps her arm back, wincing in pain!

Unable to see any gaps whatsoever, I hesitantly start to make my way towards the blinding wall of light…

That's about when I remember something a certain rat said to us. Caged on all sides… remember these directions… Right three… left two… right two… We are so out of here!

"Come on, to the right a little...!" I say, and start to move three paces to the right. Kid and Magil slowly follow. "There! Come on, now!"

From where we stand, a small gap in the wall can be seen all of a sudden. Holding my breath, I leap into it with my arms shielding my face!

All right! We made it through!!

However, I open my eyes only to see more of these glimmering walls swirling before us!

"We've got to go to the left a little…!"

We make it through the second wall with the same ease, but there's another wall before us. Last one… I hope…

"To the right, slowly…!"

And we jump through!

I scurry away from the bloodcurdling thing as fast as I can. Looking back, I see it vanish in a puff of smoke, just as quickly as it arrived! The wind instantly dies down as well, and all the dust and grime that was blowing around falls back to the floor in a flash. Everything has returned to a quiet stillness. Too quiet.

And so, heading down the hallway further and further, eventually…

"At last…"

Kid steps toward the mighty set of doors, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Beyond this door… the Frozen Flame…"

From behind his mask, Magil's eyes let loose a cool radiance.

"Okay… let's go!" Kid says eagerly, grasping the handle.

After pulling it open, we head inside.

"Whoa…"

The cavern sprawls out to great lengths before our eyes. A forgotten world, hidden deep below ground…

And with a scarlet radiance, a single small gem shimmers in the darkness.

The Frozen Flame!

"Finally, we're here!"

The jewel shimmers warmly, almost as if it's responding to Kid's voice…

Taking a few steps into the moist cavern, Magil whispers, "Remarkable… intact ruins of the lost Magical Kingdom."

Just as I start to ask Magil what he means, a taunting laugh can be heard from high above us.

"Lynx!!"

Kid immediately pulls out her knife and hurls it through the air with all her might!

As it approaches Lynx, he easily swats it out of the way, almost too quickly for me to see!

"Always the same… such a savage little girl. Can't you give a gentleman an honest greeting?"

"You bastard!!" Kid interrupts.

"And what have we here… the notorious shadow walker. I wouldn't be trying anything like last time, if I were you."

Beside me, I see Magil come to a stop.

Lord Lynx…

Viper Manor's deadly owner…

The very same man who murdered Kid's sister, deceived Riddel's father, and eradicated the Acacia Dragoons…

"Welcome back, Kid. I see you have successfully taken the bait, gluttonous as eve."

"What…!?" Kid says hesitantly, taking a step back.

Lynx stares down at her with those frighteningly piercing eyes of his.

"You see, Kid, I brought you here because of the rock you carry."

"Which rock?"

"Surely you remember, the one you received from your sister, all those years ago… the priceless keepsake you carry with you dearly, even now…

The Chrono Trigger!!"

"How'd ya know about that…?"

Kid's gaze returns to a scowl.

"No matter… we're here for the Frozen Flame! Yer finished, ya bastard!"

"Ah yes, toss your little threats around. But remember, no matter how many times you think you have won, I have generously demonstrated how gravely you are mistaken."

And with that, Lynx unsheathes a beautiful golden sabre.

"Previously I've overlooked doing away with you, letting you scurry on with your pathetic little life. However, this time, I may not be so generous…"

Kid takes another step back, glaring at Lynx as he approaches.

"Lynx!! Ya murderer, I'll never forgive you for Lucca… This ends here and now!!"

And so, Kid leaps into the air in a fit of rage, aiming a kick between Lynx's eyes!

However, just as she reaches him, he swiftly dodges!

Kid stands there, wondering how she could have missed. Beside her, Lynx laughs, taunting her!

Jumping up once again, Kid let loose a fierce kick!

Skimming the tip of his nose, her kick cuts through nothing but air!

In a parry attack, Lynx sends his razor-sharp golden sabre through the air!

But Kid's already leapt back. The two face each other, only a few feet apart.

"If only you had been a bit faster, Kid," Lynx says, smiling.

All of a sudden, a line of red streaks across Kid's face!

"Kid…!?"

Wiping off the blood, Kid angrily rushes Lynx in a flash through the air!

Effortlessly dodging, Lynx drives the sword in her back as soon as she lands!

Kid bends back in alarming pain!

Somehow staying on her feet, she stumbles back and readies herself to charge again!

"Stupid little brat…!!"

Lynx lands an elbow onto Kid's shoulders, knocking her clear to the ground!

I feel her pain from the pit of my stomach, as I start to see blood trickling from her lips…

"What's wrong, little girl!?"

Once again, Kid tried to lash out at Lynx, but he easily kicks her, sending her back onto a pile of rubble!

Lynx then looks upward, focusing his concentration on the ceiling. As I look up, I see a number of rocks have come dislodged from the cavern, tumbling down onto her!

"Kid…!!"

I call out as I start to rush over to her! However, just as soon as I start to, I see Magil's already there. He's streaked across the shadows, putting himself between Lynx and Kid!

Saying nothing, Lynx shoots a thread of white light out of his fingertips!

The threadlike substance entangles Magil, binding his feet together. He hits the ground with a thud!

In a dazzling radiance, a countless number of threads fly out from Lynx's fingertips! They immobilize Magil completely, leaving only his head visible!

"How does that feel, shadow walker? Have you felt my web start to drain your life energy yet? Lynx says, smiling ominously.

"Grrrrr…!!"

Kid… Magil…

I hurry over to Magil!

"Magil, are you okay!?"

"Don't worry about me…!"

"Dammit…!!"

Behind me, Kid moans in pain!

"Go, Serge! You're forgetting what's important…!"

Magil's eyes look straight over my shoulders.

"Don't repeat the same mistake I did! Protect… Kid…"

Wiping the sweat and tears off my face, I quickly rise to my feet!

"Kid…!!"

She looks over towards me. With blood trickling from her mouth, she only moves a little.

"Kid… are you all right?"

She lies there motionless, wincing painfully.

"…Serge…"

"It's okay, Kid! I'm here for you!"

"How kind… however, I think you should be more concerned with your own well being, young man!"

An icy chill runs down my spine as I hear the evil voice behind me. I stand up and turn around…

"So you, whoever you are. Opposing me is quite useless, as you obviously have seen."

And in a flash, Lynx grabs me by the neck!

He strangles me with his long, disgusting fingers!

"Urghh…!!"

Then, he starts to lift me up by my neck! Struggling for air, I painfully hang there, unable to tear myself free of his powerful grip!

"Look, Kid. Look at your pathetic little companion suffering. You can make this all stop, if you want."

With blood dripping from her lips, Kid opens one of her eyes. Painfully gasping and coughing, she lifts her head up to us.

She still wants to get up, but she's hurt far too badly.

"Serge…!!"

"Hand over the Chrono Trigger, Kid. Little do you know, but that rock is actually a tiny, condensed universe. When combined with the Frozen Flame, it gains the power to bend space-time, allowing its owner to reshape history. This all could have never happened, if you merely wish it…"

Saying this, Lynx looks toward me, expressionless.

"And what about you, young man? Perhaps you know where the Chrono Trigger is?" he asks, tightening his grip!

"…Serge…!!"

"What are you going to do, Kid? Can you afford to let this little boy die without helping? How will it feel to have his blood on your hands?"

As Lynx grasps tighter and tighter, I find myself staring to lose it…

Lynx's face becomes a blur…

Suddenly, Kid's voice snaps me back to attention!

"I'm sorry, Serge…!! Wh, what should I do?"

"Don't… don't do it…!"

Consciousness… fading…

"Stop!! The stone… here!"

Lynx looks over to Kid. His eyes light up as his hands loosen around my neck.

Abandoning me, Lynx rushes over to her side.

"Here it is, Lynx…"

Kid reaches into her pocket. Lynx draws closer.

Despite being drained of nearly all strength, Kid manages to whip her knife out, fiercely slashing at Lynx!

Screaming viciously, Lynx falls back, cradling his mangled face! Blood starts to trickle down from between his fingers!

"You…!!"

Lynx staggers to his feet, keeping his right hand on the wound.

"I will have such fun killing you all…!!"

With as much power as she can muster, Kid kicks at Lynx, sweeping him off his feet!

"Hah!"

Spitting blood, Kid coughs a little, but still, a smile manages to come through her agony.

"K… Kid…"

I run over towards her, still feeling the burning grip on my neck.

Lynx turns to Kid, staring at her with his cold, evil gaze.

"Child, you shall beg for death soon enough. Every flavor of pain shall be yours. Prepare to join Lucca!!"

Hearing this, Kid's eyes slowly open, and catch sight of Lynx. A red-hot gaze burns in her eyes. Slowly, she rises to her feet!

A shimmering light suddenly spurts out of the Frozen Flame!

At the same time, a golden light bursts out of Kid's chest!!

Swirling around her, the light rises up, spreading outward in a glistening spiral!

"Wh, what is this…!?" Lynx gasps.

Kid's voice calls out from deep within the shower of light… "You will not win, Lynx!!"

She trembles, her eyes flowing with red tears.

And then, a single voice can be heard. It's a deep, profound voice… the voice of undeniable honesty and truth.

Long ago, in a far off kingdom, lived a girl. Because of her power, the kingdom had come to an end, crumbling under its own weight. Many became engulfed in the temporal vortex that was created, never to be heard from again…

…But not the girl. She lived on, enduring a much sadder fate… Running from her past and fearing her future, she wanted nothing more than to be swallowed up in the surging waves of the vortex of time…

Hating what she'd done, refusing what she's said or heard, to simply continue living was her curse.

But the stone, it had other plans for her…

Turning back the hands of her clock, scattering her memories, she was granted another chance.

Since the precious stone was in her possession, she carried with her all its will and power.

And so, she was born into this era, returning to reality as a mere infant…

And with that, the fragments of the shattered Chrono Trigger fall to the ground softly.

The cavern before us slowly starts to come apart, bending inward and outwards like a tear in reality, until we are completely removed from its existence…

A single girl's voice resounds in the darkness…

"Please…

This dark energy…

Make it stop…!!"

Losing all sense of reality and presence, I become engulfed in this realm, drifting aimlessly through the ages…

The world flows, time dissolves, and people live and die… I can see it all within this mysterious ocean…

The origin of time… Every one of life's tranquilities is here…

I can see myself as a baby, crying at my mother's side, where she gives a warm, proud grin…

I can see myself as an old man, softly smiling, knowing that death will come soon.

Infinite versions of myself extend like ghosts throughout the this endless corridor of time…

Everywhere I look, I see another life, another era… In this unfolded existence, I see countless lives, and countless dreams.

Resting in eternity, a kid voice calls out to me…

A single song…

…Kid!

…Kid!!

Can you hear my voice!?

…Kid…!?

Answer me, Kid…

Please…

Who…?

Who's calling my name…

"……Serge…? Wh, where is this…?"

"Kid!? You're here!!"

"That song… that beautiful song… it was Lucca's favorite…"

Kid smiles softly, closing her eyes. I can see she can't help but shed a few tears for this long lost reminiscence.

This song is actually something I composed in my earlier years, back when I was a musician. Kid seems to be very fond of it…

"You called out to me, Serge. You called my name. Thank you. You won't leave me, will you?"

"I'm here for you, Kid."

"It all makes so much sense now… I know who I am, Serge… I know what I'm here for.

Let's go back now, okay? I'm ready."

"Urrrgh…!"

Lynx has pinned Kid to the ground!

"And now, you see your death!"

Okay, that does it! Lynx will have to get through me if he wants to get to Kid!

"Oh, will I get to put both out of your misery at once?"

Lynx raises his sabre overhead, ready to plunge it into us!

"I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Quickly turning my head, I look in the direction of the voice.

"You…!?"

There, under a large hood, stands the old woman from before!

"So, Vera. Looks like Porre couldn't keep their hands out of this after all," says Lynx, flatly.

"Good to see you again, Master Lynx. Seems you've seen better days…"

The old lady… she's from Porre?

"The Frozen Flame, we will take custody of it now. It seems none of you can decide on who the rightful owner should be."

The old lady gives a small signal, and dozens of armed troops rush out from behind her, securing the cavern.

"I will not forget this, Vera!" Lynx shouts, floating up into the air.

Brimming with hatred, Lynx's glance turns to us. "And you! You will see death by my hand!"

Saying this, Lynx vanishes into thin air!

The soldiers untie Magil, and start heading towards us.

The old woman gazes down on us from under her hood. "I believe you all ought to come with us."

Looking up, I notice the armed soldiers have swarmed around us, with their weapons ready!

Seeing this, Magil waves his hands in the air, calling out some sort of incantation! "Darkness, envelop under my command!"

Suddenly, all light in the cavern is put out! It's now or never!

"Quickly, Serge!!"

I grab on to Magil, who's holding Kid. Together, we flee the cavern, vanishing into the darkness!

Led by Magil, we make our way out of the mansion…

Back in the forest, we see the search party's torches here and there, hunting for us. Their militant barking can be heard as they continue to get closer and closer to us.

We stop behind a tree for a moment or two, catching our breath. I look down to Kid, who's taken quite a beating…

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, mate… fine."

"We're completely surrounded," says Magil. "We must be on our way."

Looking around, I suddenly see torches all around us, starting to close in.

Kid suddenly lifts her head up. "Go, Serge… save yerself. The troupe is only after Magil and me. If they find you alone, they'll let ya go."

"Wh, what are you talking about!? I can't leave you now! Not like this!"

"I told ya I'll be fine, mate…"

"But…!!"

Don't worry. I remember now, Serge… who I used to be, long ago…" she says, staring up in the night sky.

Seeing the reflection of a hundred thousand stars in her eyes, I can't help but be taken in by that lonely, one in a million expression of hers…

"Kid…"

"Don't worry, I'm okay… I'll see ya again," she says with a smile. "Someday, I know I'll see ya again… without a doubt."

She softly closes her eyes. "Lucca's Chrono Trigger was lost… we couldn't get our hand on the Frozen Flame… but, it's okay… it's all okay, because tonight, in my heart, a shiny new treasure was born, Serge… the single most valuable unstealable treasure in the entire world."

Saying this, Kid stares firmly at me with those eyes of hers… those bold, straight, honest eyes.

"Knowing who I am… It's bigger than all this… bigger than Lynx, bigger than the Frozen Flame… and, nothing can take that away… not as long as I'm alive…"

At this moment, listening to her under the starry night sky, I find myself wanting nothing more than to be here with her right now. Staring into her eyes, I only wish time could stop right at this instant…

"Goodbye, Serge… thank you…"

And with that, Kid turns her back to me and disappears into the darkness.

"Kid…!"

"Don't follow me! Please, don't follow me…"

Unable to control my feelings, I start to rush after her, however, a shadow abruptly blocks my path. It's Magil.

He slowly shakes his head, a sorrowful look in his eyes…

With that, his shadowy figure draws back, dissolving into the darkness.

"Magil!?

Kid!!"

Kid…!

Kid…

And so, the curtain closes on another tale. However, another time, after the spotlight had faded from Kid, Magil, and Riddel…

…In another place and another time… a similar band of adventurers had come forth, equally unsuspecting of their other selves, and life went on as they strode out into the great unknown.

But, that's a story for another day. For now, I shall put down my pen."

As I softly close my grandfather's diary, I hear my mother's voice call to me from downstairs.

"Didn't you hear me? Your friend is here!"

I turn around, already knowing who it is. My door opens quite energetically, where I see a strangely nostalgic girl barge in.
    
    "Serge! We found some ruins of an old mansion up in northern Guardia Forest today! Come on, let's go exploring!"


	2. Magil: Caught Between Love and Adventure

****

Okay, a lot of you most likely wonder "What the heck? I thought this was finished!" **Well, you thought wrong! As you might know with Chrono Trigger/Cross, there are multiple endings. But with Radical Dreamers there are entire _scenarios_ to discover! Not all of them are really fun, others are cute, others are scary, and others are plain ridiculous! This scenario is one of the ones I don't really like, mostly because of Magil being way too… soft. Just… I can't imagine Magus being like that, and I keep holding on that _Magil_ is Magus, and not Guile. I finally figured out who Guile _really_ is, though it's got me confused at some points.**

Anyway, like I said, this isn't my favorite scenario, so if you hear choking and throwing up somewhere through the story, it's me. Luckily this one isn't very long, but it's enough to make me sick!

It was then that I opened the notebook my mother had given me… she said she found it while cleaning out the closet.

Crumbling and covered with dust, it turned out to be the diary of my long-lost grandfather.

"…Do you still remember…?

How we first met, and all of our adventures since…

It all seems like such a dream nowadays… You were a piece of a star that fell from the sky.

Whenever I want to return to those days long gone, I close my eyes and whisper your name into the evening sky…

Kid…

Kid…

…Kid…

…Hey, Kid!

"Are you ready, Kid?

I know you're anxious, but stay on your toes."

"Yeah, likewise, mate! Mess up and I'm leavin' ya behind!"

"C'mon, Magil.

That bastard Lynx is gonna get what he deserves!

Say yer prayers… Not that it'll do ya any good!"

****

Radical Dreamers

"Boy, did her information help. I thought the perimeter's counterspell would be quite a problem."

Kid's braid sways gently from side to side in the cool nighttime breeze.

So far, we've managed to slip through the magical shield network undetected and sneak into Lynx's domain. Still, this inner region can make for some pretty rough travel.

Kid, Magil, and I comprise this party of three…

However, while walking behind Kid, I can't help but notice her ponytail endlessly swishing back, and forth… back, and forth… back, and forth…

I'm starting to get sleepy… so, so sleepy…

"…Serge…

Serge!!"

"Huh!?"

"Snap out of it, lazy bones!"

Looking up, the tall shadowy mansion of Lord Lynx looms before me. I can't believe we're there already… I must have been really out of it.

"The hell were you daydreamin' about, mate? Let's go!" Kid says, disappearing into the mansion.

"Hey, wait up, Kid!" I shout, frantically chasing after her. However, she's already deep inside.

The darkness engulfs me…

Passages extend to the left and right. Wherever we turn, darkness awaits…

"So, which way do we go now…?" I ask, wiping the chilly sweat from my brow.

What was that? I could have sworn I saw a faint light illuminating the hallway just then.

It's probably just the moonlight shining in through a skylight, I tell myself. However, looking up at the ceiling, no such skylight can be found…

"Hey, Serge! What are ya starin' at? We got a job to do here!"

I look down the hallway only to see Kid, already barely visible down the long, dark corridor.

I shrug my shoulders, and hurry to catch up with her.

After a while, the path splits into three directions. To the left is a descending staircase, while the path on the right extends into darkness. Another passageway lied ahead…

"Which way do we go?"

"Uh… right?"

"Right!"

Kid stalks down the hall, and I reluctantly follow.

We head down the path. After a while, it ends at a stained wooden door.

"What's this place?" Kid mumbles, opening the door and peeking inside.

"Guess this's the study."

The huge room is faintly lit by the moonlight, shining in through a tall window. In the back of the room, stands a large, ornately decorated desk.

Row after row of bookshelves house thousands of thick, dusty books. A painting is hung on the rear wall, sharing space with various exotic curios,

I walk over and open a drawer in the mahogany desk.

The drawers contain writing materials and documents, arranged in an orderly fashion. Unfortunately, they don't seem to contain anything worth mentioning.

But then, a small picture in the drawer catches my eye. It's a portrait of a friendly-looking girl with a faint smile on her face.

I hold it up, wondering who it could be…

"It's prolly Lynx's adopted daughter," Kid says, looking over my shoulder with her nose crinkled. "…Pedophile."

A faint gasp from behind me suddenly catches my attention. Turning around, I see Magil walking over to us with his eyes fixed firmly on the picture. I don't think I've even seen him quite like this before…

"What is it, Magil?"

My question visibly startles Magil, but after a few moments, he returns to his usual wooden face.

"…Nothing."

His firm response doesn't leave much room for questioning.

"We're wasting valueable time. We should look elsewhre," Magil says abruptly, turning towards the door.

Kid and I look at each other, perplexed.

"What's his problem?"

"Don't ask me…"

"Hey Magil, wait up!"

After leaving the study, we arrive at the three-way branch. Kid leads us down the stairs without a word.

As I start to slowly descend the stairs in the dim light, I stretch my hands out in front of me to try and feel for something. However, all I'm greeted with is the moist feeling of these grimy stone walls.

We've descended the staircase. To the left lies a huge stone archway, and to the right we can see a narrow path twisting into the darkness.

We've descended the staircase. To the left lies a huge stone archway, and to the right we can see a narrow path twisting into the darkness. 

We stand still for a moment, contemplating which way to go, until Kid sniffs the air.

"Eh? Flowers?"

I blink, but Kid's already started down the passage on the right.

The passageway makes a sharp turn to the right, before stretching on through the subterranean maze…

Before long, we're greeted with a beautifully ornate set of doors on the right. Kid sniffs the air again. "This's where that smell's comin' from!"

I sniff the air, too, and have to admit that she's right. There's a distinct smell of flowers coming from here.

Carefully, we open the doors and head inside.

Various trinkets have been scattered around this decorative room, adding a bit of charm to an otherwise dreary mansion.

A luxurious desk and a light, fluffy bed add to the elegant nature.

"Is someone there?" a woman's voice asks all of a sudden. Kid and I instantly hide behind a closet, ready for anything.

A fair girl comes into view from out of a dark corner.

"Hmm… it must have been my imagination," she says, apparently not yet aware of us.

I remain perfectly still while holding my breath, wondering what to do next.

Then, all of a sudden, a shadow over by the desk begins to tremble!

Magil…!

He suddenly materializes, placing himself directly across from the girl!

She's overcome with shock, seeing this. In desperation, all she can do is muster out the words "Who… what… what do you want…?"

I hope this girl can recognize a good thief when she sees one…

"We're thieves, but we mean you no harm," I say hesitantly, wondering if that came out right.

Kid stares at me doubtfully, most likely confused by what I'm getting myself into.

Seeing the situation unfold before her eyes, the girl stands there with a blank look on her face, pale as a ghost. "Who are you people…?" she asks, unable to mask her increasing fear.

Magil steps in and speaks in a comforting tone. "I apologize on behalf of my party if we startled you. We intend no harm, my lady."

Despite his persuasiveness, the girl seems to remain unconvinced, and starts to panic. "Stop, thieves! Don't come any closer!"

This is hopeless…

I unsheathe my knife, bringing it up to eye level as I take a step closer.

Seeing me, the girl buries her face in her hands, retreating back.

But suddenly, Magil darts over to me and strikes the knife out of my hand, hurling it towards the floor. With pitied eyes, he again looks towards the girl.

She seems shocked at this turn of events to say the least, not knowing what to think.

"Sorry Magil, I was only trying to do what's best," I say, ashamed.

However, before Magil can respond, the girl takes a breath, and turns to us to speak.

"Magil? You're Magil? …Did you once go by the name… Gilbert?"

Hearing that name, Magil takes on a look of shock.

"Riddel? Is that you?" he says in a surprisingly vulnerable tone.

"Gilbert! It's really you! My dear, dear Gilbert," she says, taking his hand.

Gilbert? What the…?

"I have worried about you ever so much," he says in a deeply sentimental voice.

Kid, suddenly tinged with anxiety, interrupts the two.

"Hey, lovebird! We're here for the Frozen Flame, not damsels in distress, remember?"

"The Frozen Flame?" asks Riddel, bewildered.

"Ah yes… these are my companions," Magil says in his usual, dry tone a moment later.

Kid and I glance at each other.

"This evening is a blessing, bequathed to us by that shimmering red jewel's fate," Magil says to Riddel.

Oh brother… All this girl stuff is starting to unravel him…

Kid's starting to get agitated, however. I've got a feeling there are a few things that could keep her from getting the Frozen Flame tonight, and none of them wear high heels.

Despite her increasing impatience with the situation, Magil goes on… and on… "Ever since my childhood, I have thuoght of you… My heart has yearned ever so madly, only for you…"

"Oh, Gilbert…"

"It is true, my dear Riddel. Therefore… about the promise…"

Suddenly, Riddel turns away from Magil. "Promise?" she asks in a voice so quiet it's almost inaudible.

"Yes, my dear… surely you haven't forgotten our secret promise… the one we made to each other on that beautiful day in the garden. You have not forgotten the vows of marriage we bestowed on one another, have you?"

Riddel continues to avert her eyes from Magil. "I will hear no more of this childish nonsense!" she shouts, burying her head in her hands again.

"…Is there someone else?" Magil asks after a moment or two, barely able to keep himself composed.

"Gilbert, I…"

She breaks off, unable to finish the sentence. Her shoulders sag as she starts to lament again.

"Sheesh, Magil… talkin' to her like that ain't gonna help! Save yer issues for Lynx!" Kid interjects, bringing Magil back to reality.

Riddel continues to sob, more and more bewildered by the moment.

"This is hopeless, mate! We've wasted enough time here, we gotta get goin'!"

"But as it is, leaving this lovely lady alone would be a mistake. She may tell someone about us, or perhaps she's in danger," Magil says to Kid, staring at Riddel.

"Sheesh, I know why you wanna stay here, and it ain't that," Kid says, rolling her eyes.

"Kid, please leave this to me!" Magil shouts.

Riddel, watching all this, stares at Magil intensely, probably now wondering if he's the one with something to hide.

Magil feverishly explains. "Please allow me to introduce Kid, a business associate of mine."

Kid, bored to tears, does her best to get us out of this situation. "Business associate? Is that what yer callin' me now? Aw c'mon, mate… just last night you were…"

Dammit! I can't believe she's saying this!

I rush over to cover her mouth with my hands, saying, "Er… she's a little confused right now, don't mind her… heh…"

After a moment Kid stops wrestling me and I let go of her. Teeth marks as red as blood stand out on my fingers…

"Gilbert… you really think I'm a lovely lady?"

Seeing a new ray of hope before his eyes, Magil picks up where he left off. "Only the loveliest kind, my lady. Indeed, it's true, you have blossomed into a fair and delicate young woman."

I'm staying out of this, I say to myself. I've got enough problems with my own love life…

But then, suddenly, another voice echoes out, entering in through the doorway! "Mistress Riddel, you will remember to mind your manners around our guests, won't you?"

Who's this?

"Oh Noelle, you know how I dislike it when you call me Mistress!" Riddel exclaims.

She continues, slightly embarrassed. "This is Gilbert, Noelle. Surely you remember him from long ago, when I was but a child."

After a while, it dawns on the elderly woman that she once knew this man, and an expression of recognition comes over her face. "Ah, yes… Master Gilbert. All grown up, I see. And what a fine gentleman you turned out to be!"

"Aw, now we're never gettin' outta this," Kid says, sitting down on a couch with her head in her hands.

Could this all be a trap, I wonder…

No, most likely not. And besides, Magil's probably got a trick up his sleeve, just in case.

I stoop down to where Kid's sitting and whisper, "Magil's got more experience than us… I think we should let him handle this."

Kid goes utterly numb.

The maid notices us whispering to each other and takes a step backwards.

"Well… who is this young lady?"

"Ah, these two are my business associates," Magil says, offering a simple introduction.

"…I… I see. Since Master Gilbert says so, I will extend my welcome to you. I am Lady Riddel's personal servant. My name is Noelle."

"Nice to meet you."

"I have known Master Gilbert ever since he was a wee lad…"

She goes on, telling us about various things from their past. It seems like they've had quite an illustrious upbringing.

"…And so, Master Gilbert and Lady Riddel often shared one another's company, stealing each other's eyes. However, one day, he was whisked far away…"

"Could this get any more exciting?" Kid asks.

Noelle and Kid exchange looks, but she continues momentarily after recomposing herself.

"…Once, in a secret meeting at their favorite flower garden, an oath was made between the two. In that beautiful courtyard, future prospects were indeed planned upon…"

However, the maid's eyes darken as she continues.

"But, as everyone knew, Lady Riddel had already been assigned a suitor!"

Riddel's shoulders sink upon hearing this. "Noelle! Why did you have to mention that! Now our oath is void!"

Magil's eyes shimmer in the dim light.

Kid leaps out ahead of Magil, confronting the two.

"Listen up! I'm the great thief, Kid! And we're here tonight in this mansion to…"

But she's broken off by the maid! "How dare you, you rude young lady! Surely you know better than to act in such way before the Lady of the House!"

"Hah! You got somethin' comin' to ya, you old wench!" Kid snarls, now eye to eye with Noelle.

Magil quickly comes between the two, first addressing the maid. "Please, do not worry. I have never shown any malice towards you or Riddel, nor have I ever meant any harm and I will not allow any to happen in the future. Please accept my apologies on my accomplice's behalf."

"Master Gilbert…"

Continuing on, he then turns towards Kid. "Perhaps it would be best if we left."

"Huh!?"

Kid and Noelle exchange glances.

Then, at the same time, one single idea seems to pop into both Noelle's and Kid's minds.

"What in blazes are ya thinkin'? Runnin' off with Riddel!?" Kid yells, at the very same moment Noelle shouts "What in the world, m'lady! How could you think of elopement at a time like this!"

Magil's mouth drops wide open. "No, that is not what I meant…"

But it's useless. The yelling resumes, louder than ever, hopelessly drowning out Magil's reasoning.

"What kind of a gentleman do you think you are!? Honestly, thinking of eloping without telling a single soul!" Noelle ensues, before stomping out of the room in a rage.

"Dammit, we gotta think about the Frozen Flame here!" Kid shouts, tugging on Magil's shirt.

Riddel doesn't seem to be very happy either, having once again regressed into tears.

Magil's vow of love seems to be on its last leg. I'm starting to wonder if there's any hope for this situation at all anymore…

In any case, Riddel can't possibly want to be burdened with all this torment. If I could just talk her down out of all this commotion, it might be all right. If only I had more options…

"You do want to escape this terrible mansion, don't you?"

"I do not intend to leave this house!" Riddel says in a strict tone. "What kind of lifestyle could you hope to provide for me, compared to this?"

"True, my lady, you do live in the lap of luxury here. But look around, is this truly where you want to be?"

"My foster father will not allow it… it would not work out… Oh Gilbert, why must you do this to me!?"

"Please, be calm, Riddel. I have more than enough savings to cover down payment for marriage funds and a new home," Magil reassures. "In addition, honeymoon travel expenses will be provided from wedding gift money!"

Mentioning the wedding gift money, Magil glances at us.

Gulp…

Magil's presented a good case, but I just don't know if Riddel's swallowing it all.

Suddenly, alarms blare out all around us!

"Damn that bloody maid!"

What do we do now!? Flustered, I look to Magil.

"We must be on our way," he says.

Riddel nods after a moment. "Indeed, it's best for you to leave tonight," she says. "In time, perhaps you may return. Then, I might be able to look upon you as a friend."

A friend… a friend…

Hearing that word in terms of their relationship seems to strike through Magil's heart like a searing hot knife.

"No! I will not leave here without you," he yells suddenly!

"Riddel, please, I beg you! Come with me, now!"

Footsteps can be heard from down the hallway.

"The guards are coming for us! Quickly!"

Magil lightly picks Riddel up, putting her over his shoulder as he makes for the door!

"They're getting closer!" Kid says, peeking around the corner.

With his cape gallantly fluttering behind him, Magil bolts down the hallway!

Come on, they're right behind us!

Oh no, there they are, right there!

Hah! Like a hurricane, Magil effortlessly rams one of the guards into the wall while I knock the other senseless without even stopping!

At last, we've slipped out of the huge mansion.

I'm utterly exhausted. I gasp huge breaths as I stumble down onto a nearby grassy clearing, deep in the woods.

But suddenly, thunderous booms start to echo out from behind us!

Looking up into the open nighttime sky, fireworks of all colors adorn the starry evening.

I stare upwards, dumbfounded.

"What's goin' on?" Kid asks.

Then, through the trees, I look up at the mansion, and all my questions are answered. There, we see all the occupants of Viper Manor, waving and cheering for us.

"Long live Mistress Riddel!"

"Hip hip, hooray!"

"Good luck!"

"We'll all be over for brunch once you're settled!"

Then, Kid nudges me, pointing to the rooftop.

And there, Lord Lynx sits solemnly with a tear in his eye, waving to us.

"The father of the bride…"

Riddel lifts her head up to speak, briefly pausing from her joyful sobs.

"All this fuss… all this fighting…"

"It is I who should be apologizing, my lady," Magil says, putting his forehead against hers, wiping her cheek with his handkerchief.

"Oh Gilbert, it's the same old you," she says, sighing.

From far across the landscape, a deep, shimmering light begins to fill the sky.

"Look, Riddel… there's our Frozen Flame," Magil says, pointing towards the morning sun.

And so, the curtain closes on another tale. However, another time, after the spotlight had faded from Gilbert, Riddel, and Noelle…

…In another place and another time… a similar band of adventurers had come forth, equally unsuspecting of their other selves, and life went on as they strode out into the great unknown.

But, that's a story for another day. For now, I shall put down my pen."

As I softly close my grandfather's diary, I hear my mother's voice call to me from downstairs.

"Didn't you hear me? Your friend is here!"

I turn around, already knowing who it is. My door opens quite energetically, where I see a strangely nostalgic girl barge in.

"Serge! We found some ruins of an old mansion up in northern Guardia Forest today! Come on, let's go exploring!"


End file.
